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I've had both. Definately 2 different burger chains:
In-N-Out: Regular menu, regular shoestring fries, nothing special about it. IMO way overrated. Plenty of other restaurants that are much better.
5 guys: Regular menu, different fries (with skins) which are more like what you get on boardwalks with vinegar to dip them in, peanuts available to eat while waiting for food to be prepared, a joint that you definately don't want to eat from every day unless you want a short life. I concur on the high prices.
Ok After originally posting without trying Five Guys I want to do an update. Five guys just opened a burger joint here locally about two months ago. I am an In and Out fan from childhood so you better be damn good.
So I go into this new place, smells good, free peanuts, bags of potatoes in the lobby; could be my kind of place. ARRRGGGGHHHH This looks like an In and Out bizarro world. You know like bizzaro Superman, similar but not so similar. Any way order a bacon cheese with everything but lettuce and tomato. I also ordered fries. So far everything is looking like it might be an ok substitute for the Real Mccoy.
Get my order home; Buns a sloppy mess and start to fall apart in my hands, lettuce and tomato on the burger, one small POS half size dried up bacon strip, pink centers on the burger, the fries were as limp your 80 yr old grandpa who lost his Viagra. I mean come on if you are going into a major market against the King of California fast food burgers Don't you bring your A game? The burger did taste ok and the fries had a good flavor once you got past the mushiness.
Sorry If they keep serving food like that they are goners just like Baja Fresh the restaurant they took over.
I gave them a 1 out of 5 stars on Yelp. They are not doing so good here with only averaging a 3 star rating against In and Out's 4 1/2. This is after 250 reviews since September this year. Ugh.
Neither. After thinking that Five Guys was great, and In N Out was great as well, a friend took me to Fatburger and that is hands down the best chain. So delicious but something to enjoy in moderation. I don't even want to know the nutrition statistics at that place. Ignorance is bliss!
Five Guys was started in Northern Virginia, so I'm probably biased, but I definitely prefer Five guys over in-n-out.
During my first trip out to LA, in-n-out burger was one of the things I was most excited to try; it gets soo much hype and everyone raves about it. I was rather disappointed at the lackluster burger I got there after such a build-up. It wasn't bad by any means, but it was far from the big juicy burger I get at Five Guys; it was more of a simple, basic beef burger that tasted fresher than most fast food places. Dont get me wrong though, it was definitely better than anything you get from Burger King, McDonalds, etc.
I dont think the two restaurants are a fair comparison though, they're pretty different burger chains. In-N-Out is strictly a fast food joint - they have a drive-thru, and quick combo meal preparations that you can order. Five Guys isn't really fast food, it's in between traditional sitdown and fast food. They have big, juicy burgers, which can be quite messy, but it's that juicyness that makes them good. Maybe the ones here in Northern Virginia are a notch above the others also since the franchise originated here nearly 25 years ago...
Some other good ones - Fatburger, The Counter, and Fosters Grill. I think Fosters is only in the N. VA area also, but it's become my local favorite.
They dont have In N Out burgers where I live, but 5 guys is awful and overpriced. I can go home and make a much better burger. I dont understand why people vote their burgers as the best.
Totally agree. For those that don't want to make their own, try Cook-Out if you have them close by. About the same as 5-guys, but 1/3 the price. Funny thing is that I only tried 5 guys once and was not that impressed. $9.66 for burger, small fries and small drink. I thought it was similar to Cook-out, which I love. How can they be the same if I love one, and don't like the other? Must be that the Cook-out burger is $3.99 for a combo, and you get TWO sides.
Heck, I didn't even like the 5 guys fries that they are so famous for. I guess i just don't get it.
In addition to cook-out, I think Back Yard is OK. Whataburger takes them all, and if you're on the west coast, try FarmerBoy (or something like that). Really good.
Me: I buy my own freshly cut chuck roast, grind it, make patties and either cook or freeze it immediately. Not only is it 100x better, but I can cook to mid-rare since it is fresh-ground. YUM!
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The burger did taste ok and the fries had a good flavor once you got past the mushiness. 
