Five Guys CEO Jerry Murrell recently gave his employees a bonus, but the reason behind it may surprise you. Back in February, Five Guys offered a BOGO offer as a way of celebrating the chain’s 40th anniversary. Because the deal turned out to be a lot more popular than anyone expected, the offer was ended early, which, of course, disappointed customers.
At the time, Murrell released a statement, apologizing to customers, saying in part, “The promotion spread far beyond what we anticipated, and our hardworking crews were placed in a difficult situation. Some locations ran out of product and had to close early. Online and app ordering experienced sporadic issues that prevented some of you from redeeming the offer.”
He added, “If you were one of the customers unable to place an order, you deserve better and we’re going to make it right.”
In the same statement, Murrell noted that the issues “were through no fault” of the employees and how they handled the chaos “with the same grit and dedication that has defined Five Guys for four decades.”
On March 9, Five Guys apologized again and brought back the BOGO offer from March 9 through 12. Now, in a recent phone interview with Fortune, Murrell is opening up about how he made the situation right for his employees.
Five Guys CEO says he gave $1.5 million in bonuses to employees across 1,500 U.S. stores
As Today.com reported, Five Guys boasts over 30,000 employees and 1,900 locations across 28 countries. There are just over 1,500 Five Guys locations in the U.S. alone.
“I didn’t want anybody shooting me in the back or anything after the first day, because we really screwed it up,” Murrell said in his interview with Fortune. “We had no idea that we were going to get that kind of response.”
His candid response clearly references 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, who allegedly fatally shot UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City on Dec. 4, 2025.
How will Five Guys distribute the $1.5 million in bonuses for its employees?
According to USA Today, Murrell told Fortune that each Five Guys employee would receive a $1,000 bonus.
“I was gonna buy my wife a new fur coat, and I spent it on [the bonus] instead,” Murrell joked in his Fortune interview. “She still looks at me like I’m stupid. But I thought it was worth it. They worked so hard. They were so overwhelmed.”
As Fortune reported, Five Guys “donates 20% of sales from in-store community events to local organizations and charities, and corporate and franchise teams are active participants in groups like Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.”
On top of that, the chain’s fundraising program allows its franchise owners to make a difference in their respective communities by donating tens of thousands of dollars.