Eating out · Fast-casual burgers & fries
Low FODMAP at Five Guys
Five Guys has one of the shortest, most transparent ingredient lists in fast food — the burger patty is 100% beef and the standard fries are just potatoes, peanut oil, and salt, both with no garlic or onion. The risk is concentrated almost entirely in the free toppings bar (raw and grilled onions are a customer favorite) and a handful of condiments, so this is a chain where 'plain' really can mean plain if you say so.
✅ Safest picks
Plain Hamburger or Cheeseburger, no onion, with lettuce/tomato/pickles
The patty is 100% beef with no seasoning, the bun's only notable content is wheat/dairy/egg in a normal bun-sized portion, and lettuce, tomato, and pickles carry no listed garlic or onion.
💬 Order it: Say 'no onions' explicitly and stick to mayo, lettuce, tomato, and pickles; go light on ketchup and mustard, which both contain onion or garlic powder in small amounts.
Bacon Cheeseburger, no onion
Both the bacon and cheese ingredient lists are free of garlic and onion; only the free-toppings bar introduces risk, which is avoidable by request.
💬 Order it: Ask for no onions and skip A.1. and BBQ sauce, which both contain dried onion and/or garlic powder.
Five Guys Style fries (regular), not Cajun
The standard fries are just potatoes, refined peanut oil, and salt — no seasoning blend at all.
💬 Order it: Specifically ask for 'regular' or 'Five Guys style' fries, not Cajun style, since the Cajun seasoning blend contains both garlic and onion.
Veggie sandwich (grilled cheese-style bun build), no onion
Built from the same clean bun, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickles as the burgers, without any meat-based variables.
💬 Order it: Confirm no onions are added and skip A.1./BBQ sauce for the same reason as the burgers.
Hot dog, no onion (confirm supplier)
One of the two hot dog suppliers Five Guys uses lists no garlic or onion in its ingredients, while the other includes garlic powder — the sausage itself is otherwise low-risk.
💬 Order it: If staff can tell you which hot dog supplier is stocked, ask; if unsure, the plain burger is the more reliably low-risk choice.
⚠️ Skip these
Burger with grilled or raw onions (any style)
Fresh onions are one of the most concentrated fructan sources on the menu and are a default request for many regular customers.
Cajun Style fries
The Cajun seasoning blend is built on garlic and onion as primary flavoring ingredients, coating every fry.
Burger with A.1. Sauce or BBQ Sauce
Both sauces list dried onion and/or garlic powder among their top ingredients.
Milkshake (any flavor, with or without mix-ins)
The shake base is milk and whey-heavy, and mix-ins like Oreo crème or chocolate add further dairy on top.
Fry Sauce (dipping sauce)
Both the bulk and portion-cup versions of fry sauce contain onion powder as a listed ingredient.
Good to know
- •Say 'no onions' out loud every time — raw and grilled onions are a self-serve-bar staple and one of the most common default add-ons at Five Guys.
- •Choose Five Guys Style fries over Cajun Style — the Cajun seasoning is a garlic-and-onion blend, while the plain fries are just potatoes, peanut oil, and salt.
- •Build your condiments from mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles, jalapeños, and green peppers; treat ketchup and mustard as 'use lightly' and A.1./BBQ sauce as 'skip' since they carry onion and/or garlic powder.
- •Milkshakes and mix-ins are dairy-heavy — go smaller sized or skip if avoiding lactose is also a concern for you.
- •Ingredient suppliers rotate by location for items like bacon, hot dogs, cheese, and pickles, and Five Guys posts a detailed nutrition/allergen PDF in-store and online — check it if a specific supplier's garlic/onion content matters to you.
At a different restaurant? Photograph any menu and get every dish ranked in seconds.
Scan a menu — freeMenus and recipes change; scores reflect typical preparations and published FODMAP research. Informational only — not medical advice. Always confirm ingredients with restaurant staff.