By Fall 2026, restaurant group Cypress Five Star will open the first Five Guys Burgers and Fries on Vancouver Island. The locations, both approximately 2300 square feet, are opening at the Arbutus Landing in Colwood and Uptown in Saanich, both in the Victoria area. Guy Richardson, Vice President, Operations, Five Guys, adds that the chain is actively seeking additional locations in the Victoria area. Introduced in the mid-1980s in Arlington, Virginia in the Washington DC area, Five Guys Burgers and Fries is a chain of quick casual restaurants featuring fresh, made-to-order, hand-formed burgers cooked on a seasoned grill along with fresh-cut fries cooked in pure peanut oil. In 2003, the company started a franchise program and in 2010, Cypress Five Star opened the brand’s first international location in Alberta. Presently there are over 70 Five Guys locations from coast-to-coast in Canada and the Utah-based Cypress Five Star, who holds the master franchise right for several Canadian regions, currently operates over 40 from Ontario to British Columbia. Richardson adds that additional Five Guys restaurants in Oakville in Ontario and St Albert in Alberta are scheduled to open shortly and another Alberta location is under discussion. Traditionally, the quick casual chain sources units in the 2100 to 2500 square foot range, with end cap locations and patios preferred, though not mandatory. All high-traffic retail nodes and food-oriented developments are considered.
Cypress Five Star Inc., 10421 S Jordan Gateway, #210, South Jordan, Utah 84095 (801/576-2700 www.cypressfivestar.com)