ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A battle royale of burger bosses took over The Theater at MGM National Harbor Wednesday night before a packed house of Five Guys crew members and employees in the ultimate showdown.
The Five Guys Games finale capped the 40th Anniversary Conference, a two-day event in Maryland celebrating the chain’s milestone birthday on February 17.
At the end of the night, Jonathan Martinez, of Kingston, New York, walked away with the championship belt and a tax-free check for $100,000.
“We’re celebrating the best of the best,” Five Guys Founder Jerry Murrell said. “Our crews are our front line, and they deserve to be in the spotlight.”
Let the Games Begin
Born in 2013, the Five Guys Games began as an idea by the Murrell family to reward hardworking store crew members. Since then, the competition has evolved into a global phenomenon among the chain’s 50,000 employees, who compete for speed, skill and accuracy in three events: the potato race, the cheese race and the dressing/QC race.
Open to any crew member, manager or general manager, the competition draws employees who train year-round to compete in store, regional and semifinal rounds over several months. Eight finalists went head-to-head in all three events on May 13.
For the first time in Five Guys Games history, the competition truly was global. Each finalist received at least $10,000.
The complete list of finalists:
- Jonathan Martinez, Kingston, New York, first place, $100,000
- Jackson Chimbay, Wallkill, New York, second place, $50,000
- Peter Le, Derry, New Hampshire, third place, $25,000
- Joshua Harvey, Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Jose Once, New York, New York
- Carson Tate, Kingsport, Tennessee
- Enock Akuwure, Liverpool, UK
- Aurelien Favreau, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Five Guys Docuseries Streaming This Fall
Five Guys, in collaboration with production studios Words + Pictures and Lost Tribe Creative, has been working on a one-of-a-kind human-interest docuseries that goes behind the counter to follow employees as they compete for one of eight coveted spots in the 2026 Five Guys Games finale.
The series captures the sweat, sacrifice and camaraderie of crew members across the country – and around the world – as they chase a shot at the grand prize.
The series streams this fall.
About Five Guys
Five Guys is a global fast-casual leader known for quality ingredients and customizable burgers. It began in 1986, when the Murrell family opened their first burger joint in Arlington, Virginia. Today, Five Guys operates nearly 2,000 locations in 25-plus countries. It strives to deliver a consistently great experience for customers.
Follow Five Guys on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. For more information, visit fiveguys.com.
Media Contact
Christine Cube
External Communications Specialist
[email protected]
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/25a632d3-81c6-4e36-91f9-31d05fef9768
