In which Virginia county was Five Guys founded in 1986?

Five Guys was founded in Arlington County, Virginia, in 1986.

Jerry and Janie Murrell opened the first Five Guys restaurant in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area with their sons. The family initially focused on made-to-order hamburgers and french fries rather than a large menu. The name referred to the five Murrell sons, although the family business later involved all five brothers.

The original restaurant was in Arlington, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Five Guys expanded slowly through the Washington area before beginning broader franchising in 2003. That measured growth helped establish the chain's reputation for customizable burgers, peanuts, and hand-prepared fries.

The founding location is sometimes described simply as Washington, D.C., because the chain's early market centered on the capital region. The restaurant itself, however, began in Arlington County, Virginia.