The Burger Chain Phil Mickelson Prefers Over In-N-Out

Someone like professional golfer Phil Mickelson, whose long and successful career has allowed him to amass hundreds of millions of dollars, can presumably afford to eat at the top restaurants across the world. For satisfying burger cravings, though, he used to be all about In-N-Out Burgers. He grew up eating them and discussed serving them on the menu at his 2005 Champions Dinner. He even attempted to buy a franchise but was foiled by the fact that In-N-Out is a family-owned chain and was unwilling to play ball. However, nowadays, when the golf pro wants a fast food burger, his preferred stop is Five Guys. In 2010, Mickelson said that he had eaten at Five Guys a whopping six days in a row.

His attempts to get into the burger business were more successful with Five Guys. Now, Mickelson owns several franchise locations in Orange County, California. That makes it a bit challenging to determine whether he loved Five Guys burgers so much he decided to invest, or deemed them his new favorite after seeing a solid investment opportunity. Either way, he's not afraid to discuss his love of the chain's burgers. Although, he hasn't dished about his specific favorite items, so we can't be sure what he ordered during that six-day Five Guys spree. However, if you're looking for a bit of inspiration, here are some secret menu items you may want to try at Five Guys.

You may know about Five Guys' choice to cook fries in peanut oil, but as for why Five Guys burgers are so delicious, there are a few factors in the preparation and cooking process that sets the food apart. One of the biggest differences between Five Guys and many other chains is that it only uses fresh ground beef, nothing frozen. In fact, its locations don't even have freezers and only use coolers to keep things chilled for diners. Although, working with only fresh meat is also one of the reasons Five Guys burgers are a bit pricier than some other chain burgers, so the flavor payoff of only using fresh beef does come at a bit of a cost.

The company also has a cooking technique that ensures burgers are juicy. As an employee of the chain revealed to Business Insider, Five Guys uses a tool to press down on the beef patties when they're sizzling on the grill. This thins them out a bit and allows them to get a slight crisp on the edges that contrasts with the soft sesame seed studded buns. It also doesn't hurt that the chain has a slightly wider selection of toppings than many other spots, allowing you to pair your beef with grilled onions and mushrooms, jalapeno peppers, or A1 sauce.