As a Jackson-Reed student, fourth period has always been a countdown to the next great meal, which Tenleytown goes above and beyond in providing. Luckily for us, we have not just one, but two solid burger restaurants in the area: the widely enjoyed pair, Five Guys and Z-Burger. However, this leaves the obvious question: which is better?
To reach a fully conclusive and accurate decision, I created a side-by-side breakdown of the two restaurants based on taste, affordability, quantity, time taken, cleanliness, and general mood.
Beginning with Five Guys, I started my expedition with friends and upon arrival, we were greeted not only by a mouth-watering smell, but also by posters of Ed Sheeran and Michelle Obama! Aware that these two had enthusiastically approved of Five Guys, the atmosphere radiated positivity even before we ordered. Plus, our orders were taken swiftly and easily, and we purchased a cheeseburger with fries, and a chocolate milkshake with whipped cream. Six minutes later, our order was ready!
I am happy to say that our order exceeded expectations; the fries were warm with the perfect amount of salt, the milkshake delicious, the consistency not too thick or too thin. When it comes down to the burger itself… It was fantastic! Finished in what felt like seconds, it melted on my tongue. I was even given a double cheeseburger for the price of a single. Additionally, we were given peanuts for free; found at the front area of the restaurant.
When it came to prices, my order was a bit on the expensive end. Between a cheeseburger, small fries, and milkshake, my order totaled $21.38.
In spite of this price, I can confidently conclude that Five Guys was delicious, the staff was friendly, and the entirety of the restaurant was relatively clean!
With a very high standard to beat I moved onto Z-Burger. The first thing to note was the slightly longer distance, about a five or so minute walk from school compared to the four minute walk to Five Guys, which can be a slight disadvantage especially if you are lazy like me. A slightly quieter, less student-heavy atmosphere greeted us, so we had a quicker order process, and the restaurant had ample seating. What stood out to me was the over 30 milkshake options available, ranging from classic flavors like chocolate and oreo to more obscure ones like guava and even tiramisu.
I thought Five Guys came fast, but the entirety of my Z-Burger meal came within a mere three minutes of ordering! Despite the speed at which my food arrived, I was somewhat dissatisfied with the quality of the meal in comparison to the price paid. While everything was decent, the burger was quite thin and the milkshake lacked whipped cream. Fortunately, the fries were delicious and came in mass quantities!
When it came down to the cost of my meal, my order totaled to $21.18. Interestingly, this added up to almost exactly the same price as Five Guys; ¢20 less! However, when it came down to the meals’ individual quality, it was clear that this was overpriced.
Finally, I rated these two restaurants on how much they met the given criteria:
Five Guys:
Taste – 5/5
Affordability – 4/5
Time taken – 4/5
Cleanliness – 5/5
Overall mood – 5/5
Five Guys: 23/25
Z-Burger:
Taste – 3.5/5
Affordability – 4/5
Time taken – 5/5
Cleanliness – 4/5
Overall mood – 3/5
Z burger: 19.5/25
Between these two culinary experiences, I’ve come to the ultimate decision that Five Guys reigns supreme. While I enjoyed my time at Z-Burger, it just didn’t foster the same kind of fulfillment and joy which Five Guys did. In conclusion, a good burger in Tenleytown may not be that cheap, but Five Guys is worth it. With a warm and comfortable atmosphere, fun music, absolutely fresh and delicious food, and a fast order, Five Guys take the crown as Tenleytown’s top burger. So, next time you’re struggling to decide what to eat, remember that for the best burger Five Guys is the way to go!
