Five Guys Bets Big: Boozy Shakes and Breakfast Hit the Vegas Strip

LAS VEGAS, NV – January 15, 2026 – The familiar red-and-white checkerboard of Five Guys has received a neon-drenched, high-stakes makeover on the Las Vegas Strip. The beloved burger chain, long celebrated for its disciplined focus on fresh burgers and hand-cut fries, has opened a groundbreaking flagship restaurant that shatters its own mold. Located in the bustling Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Resort, this first-of-its-kind location introduces a full walk-up bar, specialty alcoholic milkshakes, and an all-day breakfast menu, signaling a bold new chapter for the 40-year-old brand.

The massive 10,000-square-foot establishment is a calculated gamble, trading the brand’s traditional spartan simplicity for an experience tailored to the city’s unique rhythm of indulgence and entertainment. It’s a move designed to capture the millions of visitors who walk the Strip at all hours, seeking more than just a quick meal.

"The location represents a big moment for our brand," said Edward Pizzarello, the franchisee for Five Guys Grand Canal Shoppes, in a statement. "We wanted to deliver what people have always loved about Five Guys, fresh, handmade food prepared with purpose, quality, consistency and taste, while embracing the energy and indulgence that define Las Vegas."

A Radical Departure from Tradition

For four decades, Five Guys built an empire on a simple, unwavering promise: fresh, never-frozen beef, potatoes sourced from specific farms and displayed daily, and a customizable but limited menu. There were no freezers, no microwaves, and certainly no alcohol. This new flagship represents a seismic shift. The centerpiece is a full bar serving beer, wine, and frozen cocktails—a feature unheard of in any of its other 1,900 locations worldwide.

The most talked-about innovation is the introduction of “boozy shakes.” While a separate station still crafts the chain’s classic customizable milkshakes, the bar offers specialty alcoholic versions, blending the line between dessert and cocktail. This is paired with another significant menu expansion: all-day breakfast. From 8 a.m. to 4 a.m., guests can order breakfast sandwiches with fresh-cracked eggs, bacon, and cheese, with the option to add one of the brand's signature burger patties. This offering caters directly to the city’s non-stop culture, serving early risers and late-night revelers alike.

The timing is significant, as Five Guys celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026. This Las Vegas venture seems to be less a nostalgic look back and more a strategic leap forward, testing the brand's elasticity in a market that demands constant innovation.

Betting on the Experience Economy

This dramatic evolution is not happening in a vacuum. It reflects a broader trend in the competitive fast-casual industry, where brands are increasingly forced to innovate to stand out. On the Las Vegas Strip, where dining options are limitless, simply having a quality product is no longer enough. The move to add alcohol is a strategic play to increase check averages and broaden appeal. With profit margins on alcoholic beverages often far exceeding those on food, it represents a substantial new revenue stream.

Furthermore, the concept of the “eatertainment” venue is crucial in a destination like Las Vegas. By creating a vibrant, visually engaging space with unique offerings, Five Guys is competing not just with other burger joints, but with the overall entertainment landscape. The extended 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. operating hours are a direct acknowledgment of this, positioning the restaurant as a go-to spot for pre-show dinners, post-club cravings, and next-morning recovery meals.

The all-day breakfast menu taps into another powerful consumer trend. With the rise of flexible work schedules and a general shift away from traditional meal times, demand for breakfast items throughout the day has surged. For a city that never sleeps, offering breakfast sandwiches deep into the night is a logical and potentially lucrative adaptation.

Built for Vegas, Watched by the World

Every element of the flagship has been meticulously designed for its environment. The interior is a departure from the typical minimalist décor, featuring custom murals and neon signage that pay homage to classic Vegas iconography like dice and playing cards. Yet, even amidst the glitz, the brand has not forgotten its roots. A prominent glass-walled potato prep room puts the hand-cutting of its famous fries on full display, a piece of culinary theater that reinforces the core commitment to freshness that built the brand.

This blend of new-school Vegas flash and old-school Five Guys transparency is a delicate balancing act. Bringing this vision to life also required navigating the complex regulatory landscape of Clark County, where obtaining a full liquor license is a rigorous and lengthy process involving extensive background and financial checks. This investment signals that the Las Vegas flagship is not a mere pop-up experiment but a serious, long-term strategic initiative.

While corporate leadership has not announced plans for a broader rollout, the industry will be watching this location closely. It serves as a real-world laboratory to test the viability of alcohol service and expanded daypart offerings. If the gamble pays off, it could provide a blueprint for future Five Guys locations in other high-traffic, entertainment-focused districts, potentially redefining the brand for a new generation of customers.

"This year, Five Guys celebrates 40 years of great burgers, quality ingredients and a welcoming experience," Pizzarello noted. "Opening a flagship in Las Vegas allows us to honor our history while inviting a new generation of guests to experience our brand." To mark the occasion, the restaurant will host a grand opening celebration for the public on January 29, featuring limited-time offers and special events, officially welcoming the city to a version of Five Guys it has never seen before.