Let’s be real for a second. If you’ve spent any time driving down Telshor or hanging out near the university, you know that the food scene in Las Cruces is dominated by two things: incredible green chile and a whole lot of fast-food chains that frankly taste like cardboard. But then there’s Five Guys Las Cruces New Mexico. It’s tucked away in that busy shopping strip on Telshor Blvd, and honestly, it’s one of those places that people either swear by or complain about because of the price.
It’s expensive. We know.
But there is a specific reason why this particular location stays packed even when there’s a Wendy’s or a McDonald’s just a stone's throw away. It’s the grease. It’s the brown paper bags that look like they’ve been through a rainstorm of peanut oil before they even hit your car seat. It’s the fact that they don’t even own a freezer.
The Telshor Vibe and Why Location Matters
The Five Guys Las Cruces New Mexico spot is strategically placed. You’ve got the Mesilla Valley Mall right there, and a constant stream of students from NMSU looking for something that isn't dining hall mystery meat. Most people don't realize that Five Guys actually started as a tiny family business in Arlington, Virginia, back in 1986. By the time they made it to the high desert of New Mexico, the "Five Guys" (the Murrell brothers) had perfected a system that is basically the antithesis of modern fast food.
They use peanut oil. Exclusively. If you have a nut allergy, you’re basically banned from the premises, which is a bummer, but for everyone else, it’s the secret to why the fries taste different. Most places use a vegetable oil blend that’s been sitting in a vat for three days. Here, you’ll see the sacks of potatoes stacked up like a barricade in the dining room. They actually label where the potatoes came from that day—usually Idaho, sometimes Washington. It’s a weird flex, but it works.
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What Nobody Tells You About the "Small" Fries
Seriously, don't order a large. Unless you are feeding a small army or an entire NMSU frat house, a large fry at the Five Guys Las Cruces New Mexico location is a mistake. They have this "topper" policy. The employees are literally trained to put the scoop of fries into the cup and then throw an extra massive scoop into the bag. It’s a psychological trick, sure, but it’s one that results in a bag full of salty, boardwalk-style fries that you’ll be picking at for twenty minutes after the burger is gone.
The fries are double-fried. That’s why they’re soft on the inside but have that distinct crunch. Most people in Cruces are used to the thin, shoestring fries you get at other spots, but these are hand-cut. They’re thick. They’re messy. They’re basically a meal on their own.
The Burger Customization Rabbit Hole
When you walk into the Five Guys Las Cruces New Mexico shop, the menu looks deceptively simple. You choose a burger or a cheeseburger. But the "All Toppings Free" thing is where people get overwhelmed. You can get grilled mushrooms, jalapeños, A1 sauce, hot sauce, and even green chile—which, let’s be honest, is a requirement for any restaurant operating within city limits.
The "Little Burger" is actually a normal-sized burger. The regular burger is a double. If you aren't prepared for two patties of fresh, never-frozen beef, you’re going to be struggling by the time you reach the halfway point.
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- The beef is 80/20. That means it’s 80% lean and 20% fat. That’s the golden ratio for juice.
- They don’t press the patties until they hit the grill.
- There are no timers. The cooks are trained to know when a burger is done by looking at it, which is kind of wild in a world where everything is automated.
The buns are also different. They’re sweeter and eggier than a standard sesame seed bun. They’re designed to soak up the grease without falling apart, though by the time you get your order to your house near Sonoma Ranch, that bun is going to be doing some heavy lifting.
Why Do People Pay $20 for a Burger Combo?
This is the big debate in Las Cruces. Why pay these prices when you could go to Blake’s Lotaburger or even Sparky’s up in Hatch? It comes down to consistency. Whether you’re at a Five Guys in New York or the one right here in New Mexico, the flavor profile is identical.
There’s also the "no freezer" policy. Most people think that’s just marketing fluff. It isn’t. If you look behind the counter, you won’t see a freezer anywhere. There are only coolers. This means the meat has to be moved fast. It’s fresh. You can taste the difference in the texture; it doesn't have that grainy, icy bite that a frozen patty has.
The Milkshake Factor
The Las Cruces location added milkshakes a few years back, and it changed the game. You can mix and match flavors like bacon, peanut butter, and salted caramel. Putting bacon in a milkshake sounds like something a middle-schooler would do on a dare, but the saltiness cuts through the sugar in a way that actually makes sense.
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Navigating the Crowds
If you’re planning to hit up Five Guys Las Cruces New Mexico on a Friday night, good luck. The parking lot on Telshor is a nightmare. It’s shared with other high-traffic spots, and the drive-thru culture in Cruces hasn't quite adapted to the fact that Five Guys doesn’t have a drive-thru. You have to go in. Or you have to do curbside.
The interior is loud. It’s all white and red tiles, which reflects sound like a drum. It’s not the place for a quiet first date. It’s the place you go when you want to unwrap a foil-covered burger and eat it while the juice runs down your arms.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Visit
If you want the best experience at the Las Cruces Five Guys, stop ordering like a rookie.
- Order the "Little" size unless you genuinely haven't eaten in 24 hours. The double patty is a commitment.
- Ask for the fries "extra well done." Sometimes, when they’re slammed, the fries can come out a bit limp. If you ask for them well done, they’ll leave them in the peanut oil for another minute, and it’s a total game-changer.
- Get the grilled onions AND grilled mushrooms. They don't charge you for them, and they add a depth of flavor that raw onions just can't touch.
- Check the whiteboard. Every day, they write down where the potatoes came from. It’s a fun little bit of trivia to see if your fries are from a farm in Rexburg or somewhere in the Columbia Basin.
- Use the app. Seriously. The wait times can get up to 15-20 minutes because they don't start the fries until you actually show up (to keep them fresh). Ordering ahead at least gets your burger in the queue.
The reality is that Five Guys Las Cruces New Mexico isn't trying to be a gourmet bistro. It’s high-end junk food. It’s a place that respects the process of a simple cheeseburger. In a city that loves its food spicy and its portions huge, Five Guys fits right in, even if it’s a transplant from the East Coast.
Next time you're stuck in traffic on Lohman or finishing up a shift at the hospital, just pull into the Telshor strip. Grab a bag of peanuts while you wait. Forget about the calories for an hour. Just make sure you have plenty of napkins in the car, because you're definitely going to need them.