Culver’s and Five Guys both built their reputations on fresh, never-frozen beef — and then went in opposite directions. Culver’s, born in Sauk City, Wisconsin in 1984, sells a modest single-patty ButterBurger on a butter-toasted bun, then wins you over with Wisconsin Cheese Curds and fresh frozen custard. Five Guys, born in Arlington, Virginia in 1986, sells a two-patty burger as the default, piles on 15 free toppings, and fills the bag with extra fries. This is the honest head-to-head: Culver’s figures are typical 2026 tracker figures, marked *, because Culver’s publishes no national price list and trackers disagree by market; Five Guys figures come from our live Five Guys cluster, checked across three cities in August 2026.
Culver’s vs Five Guys: The Burger Board in One Table
| Matchup | Culver’s | Five Guys |
|---|---|---|
| Signature burger | Original ButterBurger Single $4.39–$6.39*, 390 cal (official) | Cheeseburger (two patties) $14.63–$15.59, 980 cal |
| Cheapest burger | Original ButterBurger Single $4.39–$6.39*, 390 cal | Little Hamburger $9.23–$11.39, 540 cal |
| Biggest burger | Triple ButterBurger $7.39–$8.79*, 730 cal (official) | Bacon Cheeseburger $16.79–$17.99, 1,060 cal |
| Signature side | Wisconsin Cheese Curds Regular $4.39–$5.69*, ~490 cal* | Regular Fries $8.58–$9.59, 953 cal (plus the extra scoop in the bag) |
| Dessert | Concrete Mixer Regular $5.49*, 910 cal* | Milkshake $7.50–$8.63, from 670 cal before mix-ins |
| Value meal | ButterBurger Value Basket Single $9.49* (burger, side, drink) | No combos — everything is a la carte |
The Price Round: Culver’s, and It Is Not Close
A Culver’s Original ButterBurger single runs $4.39–$6.39* depending on market — the Midwest core is cheaper, newer expansion markets dearer — while the cheapest Five Guys burger, the Little Hamburger, starts at $9.23 and the standard two-patty Cheeseburger runs $14.63–$15.59. A full Culver’s Value Basket, burger plus side plus drink, is $9.49* — less than a Little Cheeseburger on its own at Five Guys ($10.55–$12.47). Five Guys has no combos and no value tier, so the price gap is structural, not a promotion. The one conflict to state plainly: Culver’s trackers disagree sharply by market. One November 2026 tracker lists the Original ButterBurger at $6.39, another at $4.39 for the same single — the figures in this post use the full range and flag it with *, because your store’s price depends on where you live. Calories are steadier: Culver’s own nutrition guide lists the single at 390, the double at 560 and the triple at 730 calories, and trackers agree on those.
The Size Round: Five Guys, and It Is Not Close Either
What Culver’s wins on price, Five Guys wins on portion. Every Five Guys burger without “Little” in the name carries two patties, and the Bacon Cheeseburger tops out at 1,060 calories before a single topping. A Regular fries order is 953 calories — and the cup is not the whole portion, because every order gets an extra scoop tipped into the bag. Culver’s answers with the Deluxe and the doubles, but even a Triple ButterBurger at 730 calories is lighter than a Five Guys Little Cheeseburger at 610 only in the sense that the Little is a single patty; the standard Five Guys build is simply a bigger meal. If you walk in hungry, Five Guys is the board; if you walk in watching the bill, Culver’s is.
The Dessert Round: Custard vs Shake
Culver’s custard is made fresh in small batches through the day, not pumped from a mix, and the Concrete Mixer — custard blended thick with your mix-ins — runs $5.49* for a Regular at 910 calories*, with a rotating Flavor of the Day that differs by restaurant. Five Guys spins its shakes from vanilla ice cream with any mix-in you name, from $7.50–$8.63 starting at a 670-calorie base. The Concrete Mixer is cheaper and more of a meal; the Five Guys shake is the lighter, simpler finish. Neither chain sells a bad dessert — but only Culver’s treats dessert as a second menu, with sundaes, floats, cones and hand-packed pints alongside the Mixers. For the wider burger picture, our Wendy’s menu guide and Burger King menu guide cover the cheaper burger boards, and our Dairy Queen menu guide covers the other frozen-treat chain with a full food menu.
For the full Five Guys board behind every figure here, see our Five Guys menu guide, the Five Guys nutrition guide, the Five Guys secret menu guide, and the Five Guys coupons guide. For the full Culver’s board behind every asterisked figure here, see our Culver’s menu guide, which went live the same morning as this post.
Culver’s vs Five Guys FAQs
Is Culver’s or Five Guys cheaper?
Culver’s, by a wide margin. An Original ButterBurger single is $4.39–$6.39* and a full Value Basket is $9.49*, while a Five Guys Cheeseburger alone is $14.63–$15.59.
How many calories are in a ButterBurger?
Culver’s own nutrition guide lists the Original single at 390 calories, the double at 560 and the triple at 730, before toppings and sides.
Does Five Guys sell combos?
No. Five Guys sells everything a la carte — no combos, no value meals, no promo codes. The 15 toppings are free, which is the only discount on the board.
What are Wisconsin Cheese Curds?
Battered and fried white cheddar curds, Culver’s most distinctive side — Regular $4.39–$5.69* at roughly 490 calories*, and the item the chain is known for after the ButterBurger itself.
Which is better for dessert?
Culver’s, for range: Concrete Mixers, sundaes, floats, cones and a daily Flavor of the Day. Five Guys has one dessert — the milkshake — done well, from $7.50–$8.63.
Conclusion
Order Culver’s when value is the point — a ButterBurger single from $4.39* and a full basket at $9.49* is the cheapest way into a fresh-beef burger and a real dessert in 2026. Order Five Guys when appetite is the point — two patties as standard, 15 free toppings, and a bag of fries that overflows the cup. The two chains agree on the beef and disagree on everything else, and that is exactly why the comparison works.
