ALEXANDRIA, VA — Before Five Guys became the place where a burger can arrive with a small novel’s worth of toppings, it was a modest Arlington carry-out with a very family-style origin story.
In 1986, Jerry and Janie Murrell gave their three sons a choice: go to college or start a business. The boys picked the business. Forty years later, the result is 2,000 Five Guys restaurants in 30 countries—and the company’s corporate office is right here at 1940 Duke St. in Alexandria.
Five Guys announced Friday that its 2,000th restaurant has opened at Universal CityWalk at Universal Orlando Resort. It is a long way from that first Arlington counter, but the company says the original idea has not changed much…