Five Guys CEO says he gave $1.5 million bonus to employees because ‘I didn't want anybody shooting me'

UNITED STATES, March 27 — Five Guys CEO Jerry Murrell is putting his money where his mouth is — for a rather eyebrow-raising reason. Murrell gave a phone interview to Fortune on March 25 about the company’s 40th anniversary BOGO offer in February, which quickly became much more popular than the chain had anticipated, disappointing customers. The promo was so popular, it crashed the app and caused several locations to end it early, according to angry customers on social media.

In response, Five Guys released statements apologizing for the mishap, first on Feb. 18 , saying that “hardworking crews were placed in a difficult situation” and certain locations ran out of food and needed to close early. The statement also said that online and app ordering “experienced sporadic issues” that prevented customers from getting their burger.

Then, on March 9 , the chain apologized again, writing, “You visited our restaurants in overwhelming numbers, and we weren’t ready for you. We didn’t meet our own standards, and that’s not something we take lightly. So, we’re asking for a do-over.

” The chain then brought back the BOGO offer, calling it the “40th After Party,” running from March 9 — 12. In the Fortune interview, Murrell revealed he also gave out a $1. 5 million bonus to the employees at its U.

S. 1,500 stores, due to the “overwhelming” response and subsequent glut of customers. “I didn’t want anybody shooting me in the back or anything after the first day, because we really screwed it up,” Murrell told Fortune.

“We had no idea that we were going to get that kind of response. ” The joke is likely a reference to Luigi Mangione , the 26-year-old man accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City in 2025. He also joked that he was going to buy his wife “a new fur coat” but “spent it on [the bonus] instead.

” “She still looks at me like I’m stupid,” he told Fortune. “But I thought it was worth it. They worked so hard.

They were so overwhelmed. ” According to the Five Guys website , the chain has more than 30,000 employees and 1,900 locations in 28 countries. There are a little over 1,500 locations in the U.

S. Five Guys did not immediately respond to TODAY. com’s request for comment.

This story first appeared on TODAY. com .