Business

In Pictures: Five Guys burger restaurant opens in Belfast to massive queues

Customers queue outside the Five Guys restaurant at Victoria Square, Belfast 
Customers queue outside the Five Guys restaurant at Victoria Square, Belfast  Customers queue outside the Five Guys restaurant at Victoria Square, Belfast 

THE first Five Guys restaurant in Ireland opened at Belfast's Victoria Square today as dozens of people queued to sample the chain's food.

The Irish franchise of the US fast-food store has been bought by brothers Brett, Ross and Dery Desmond.

The new restaurant has created more than 50 full and part-time jobs.

The brothers said the Belfast outlet was only the first of many planned with Derry among the locations targeted.

"We are working on opening a number of outlets in Ireland, and it’s fantastic to see our first Five Guys outlet in Victoria Square come to fruition," they said.

"We chose this location as it is such an iconic shopping centre in the heart of Belfast City, with a really strong tenant mix. We hope that it will be a big hit with shoppers and will give people even more reason to visit Victoria Square.”

Belfast store manager, Nelson Shanks five of his assistant managers spent a month in the States training and experiencing the Five Guys culture ahead of the opening.

Victoria Square centre manager, Michelle Greeves, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be welcoming Five Guys to Victoria Square and feel privileged to be chosen as its first location in Ireland. The brand will perfectly complement our existing offering and further boost footfall to the centre as Five Guys has such an incredible following. The restaurant unit has been extensively extended, now spanning 2,800 sq ft, and we’re incredibly excited for the unveiling pre-Christmas.”

Five Guys has built up a cult following since it first opened in the US in 1986. It now has more than 1,200 outlets in the US and Canada.

The first outside America opened in London in 2013 while there are now more than 35 across the UK.