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Five Guys Taking Over for Fatburger, Too?
Photo of the Five Guys in Valencia by R.E.˜ via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
The stage has already been set for an East Coast/West Coast battle of the burgers between upstart Five Guys and SoCal classic In-n-Out. But when we brought up the brewing rivalry, a third player, and the second to rep the local scene, was thrown in the mix: Fatburger. Well, score one more for Five Guys in that throwdown, as the OC Register's Fast Food Maven confirms that the Virigina-based franchise will be taking over the Fatburger spot at Newport's Fashion Island.
Tom Horton, the owner of the firm who owns the rights to open 250 new Five Guys locations in the U.S. says the Fashion Island location, along with one in Costa Mesa at the site of a former Baja Fresh, will open by mid-July.
But wait! There's more: "Besides expanding in Orange County, Horton plans to open at least seven Five Guys restaurants in the Los Angeles area this year, including one in Culver City at the Fox Hills Mall in two weeks." Plus, "Phil Ratner, who opened the first Orange County Five Guys last year in Orange, will open a Five Guys near Cal State Fullerton on April 29." Oh, and, other Five Guys "locations are planned in Santa Fe Springs, Corona, Moreno Valley, San Bernardino, Redlands, Northridge and Encinitas."
Come on Fatburger loyalists: Speak up!
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