Little Hamburger Five Guys Copycat Recipe

Yes, you can make a Five Guys-style Little Hamburger at home with one well-done 80/20 beef patty, a soft toasted sesame bun, American-style cheese if you want it, and any free toppings you like. I tested this twice in my small kitchen on October 4 for 2 burgers. This is my home copycat hypothesis, not the official proprietary formula, using US menu references from October 2026.

What a Little Hamburger Five Guys is

In the US, the Little Hamburger is one fresh patty grilled on a bun, listed at 540 Cal plain, versus 840 Cal for the two-patty Hamburger as of October 2026. That single rule is the whole difference.

Five Guys has sold burgers since 1986. Its US wording is hand-prepped beef, fries cut in-store, and 15 free toppings. The same one-vs-two split applies in France: Little Hamburger with one grilled fresh ground-beef patty, versus Hamburger, Cheeseburger and Bacon Burger with two patties. My take after cooking both: the Little wins. Two patties drown the bun; one lets the toast, juices and pickles show.

Five Guys Little Hamburger composition to copy

The copycat target is plain beef, toasted sesame bun, American cheese on request, and free toppings, all built well-done without a smash.

Five Guys US lists 80/20 beef, 100% beef with no additives or fillers, no breadcrumbs, flour, soy sauce or added spices at supplier level. The cheese is Kraft American cheese made without animal enzyme / meat rennet. The buns use a proprietary recipe with water, salt, sugar, vegetable shortening (soy), milk, eggs, bleached wheat flour, yeast and sesame seeds. Reference condiments are Heinz ketchup, French’s mustard, Cattlemen’s Brand BBQ sauce, Frank’s Original hot sauce and A1 Original steak sauce.

Cross-section view of single-patty Little Hamburger layers: sesame bun, beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles — 1024x681 (Photo: TheCulinaryGeek, CC BY 2.0 — source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/72949902@N00/5076897498)

Ingredients for 2 Little Hamburgers

These quantities make 2 single-patty burgers; patty weight is my working hypothesis, not an official Five Guys weight.

• 2 soft sesame burger buns, about 3 oz (85 g) each, split — see my soft homemade sesame burger buns tested with weights and proofing times if you bake them

• 6.5 oz (185 g) 80/20 ground beef, cold, divided into 2 loose balls of about 3.3 oz (93 g) each — my copycat portion, not confirmed by Five Guys

• Fine sea salt, about 1/4 tsp total — my seasoning choice; Five Guys does not publish its in-store seasoning

• 2 slices American-style cheese (optional, for Little Cheeseburger style)

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil or beef drippings for the griddle, plus softened butter for buns if toasting

• All The Way toppings to taste: grilled sliced onion, grilled sliced mushrooms, shredded iceberg lettuce, dill pickle chips, sliced tomato, ketchup, yellow mustard and mayonnaise

Fresh 80/20 ground beef for 2 x 3.3 oz (93 g) loose thick patties, grilled well-done not smashed — 2905x2211 (Photo: Rainer Zenz, CC BY-SA 3.0 — source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=641665)

Copycat cooking method: grilled thick, not smashed

Five Guys grills a thick juicy patty well-done. I do not smash it flat like a Shake Shack-style patty. Different bite entirely.

Press reports often cite about 3.3 oz / 93 g per Little patty, but Five Guys has never confirmed it, so I use it only as a home hypothesis. I form loose thick patties, salt just before grilling, and cook through to 160°F (71°C) internal. My first batch stuck and oversalted. Second batch, same heat, quick salt, no press — juicy. Griddle temperature and flip timing are not published by Five Guys; below is my safe home method.

Grilling thick patty on hot griddle with thermometer check to 160°F (71°C) well-done, no pressing — 333x500 (Photo: Didriks, CC BY 2.0 — source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/49889671@N03/4822104250)

Step by step: Little Hamburger Five Guys copycat

Follow these five steps for juicy well-done patties and a soft toasted bun that does not go soggy.

1. Prep the toppings and buns

Slice tomato, pickles, lettuce and onions, and have ketchup, mustard and mayo cold and ready so hot patties do not wait. I split the buns and butter the cut sides lightly. A dry toasted bun resists juices better than an untoasted one.

2. Form two loose patties

Divide the cold 80/20 beef into 2 equal portions of about 3.3 oz (93 g) and pat gently into 3.5-inch thick patties without overworking. I make a shallow thumb dent in the center and refrigerate 10 minutes. This is my handling choice, not the Five Guys procedure — it kept my patties from puffing.

3. Toast the sesame buns

Toast cut-side down on a hot griddle or in a skillet over medium-high heat for 60-90 seconds until golden. I set them aside cut-side up so steam escapes and the crumb stays soft.

4. Grill thick to well-done, no smash

Heat a cast-iron griddle or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking, add a film of oil, salt the patties, and grill 3-4 minutes per side without pressing. I cook to 160°F (71°C) at the center for well-done, adding American-style cheese for the last minute with a lid to melt if making cheeseburgers.

5. Dress All The Way and wrap

Spread mayo, ketchup and mustard on the hot buns, add grilled onions and mushrooms plus cold lettuce, pickles and tomato, then close. I wrap each burger in foil for 2 minutes. The bun softens the Five Guys way without turning wet.

Assembled All The Way Little Hamburger with grilled onions, mushrooms, lettuce, pickles, tomato, ketchup, mustard and mayo — 1024x768 (Photo: Kate C Hopkins, CC BY 2.0 — source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/54151899@N00/6230792270)

Why this tastes like Five Guys

It tastes close because of 80/20 well-done beef, salty melt, soft toasted sesame bun and the All The Way mix, not because of a secret spice.

My result is juicy but crumbly, not crusty-smashed like my ShackBurger home copycat with smashed patty and Shack sauce. The 80/20 fat bastes the thick patty, salt alone lets beef show, and the soft sesame bun plus ketchup-mustard-mayo with grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, lettuce, pickles and tomato gives the familiar sweet-salty-juicy stack. US All The Way is grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard and mayo; in France it is mayonnaise, lettuce, pickle, tomatoes, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, ketchup and mustard.

| Feature | Five Guys original (Oct 2026) | My home copycat |

|—|—|—|

| Patties | 1 fresh patty for Little, 2 for Hamburger; 80/20, 100% beef | 2 x ~3.3 oz (93 g) 80/20 patties, hypothesis, grilled well-done to 160°F (71°C) |

| Cheese | Kraft American without animal enzyme | American-style slice melted 1 min |

| Bun | Proprietary sesame recipe, toasted, softens in foil | Soft sesame bun, butter-toasted 60-90 seconds, foil-rested 2 min |

| All The Way | US: grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, mayo | Same mix at home, free choice |

| Calories plain | 540 Cal US official; independent sheet lists 171 g at 480 calories, 26 g fat, 39 g carbs, 23 g protein, 380 mg sodium | Similar range at home; cheese and sauces add more |

Price context helps too: Five Guys sits above value bundles, as I detail in my 2026 burger value wars comparison of McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s. In France the kids menu with a Little Hamburger, mini fries and mini drink starts at €8.50.

FAQ: Little Hamburger copycat

Short answers to the questions I get most about weight, smash, buns and calories.

What is the difference between a Little Hamburger and a Hamburger at Five Guys?

The Little Hamburger has one patty and the Hamburger has two patties; US listings show 540 Cal versus 840 Cal plain as of October 2026.

What weight and fat for a Five Guys-style patty?

Use 80/20 ground beef and about 3.3 oz (93 g) per Little patty as a home hypothesis; Five Guys confirms 80/20 but never confirms patty weight.

Should I smash the patty or cook it thick and well-done?

Cook it thick and well-done without smashing; smash gives a lacy Shake Shack crust, while Five Guys is a thicker grilled juicy patty cooked to 160°F (71°C).

What toppings for All The Way and which sauces to avoid?

All The Way US means grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard and mayo; stick to those plus Heinz, French’s, Cattlemen’s, Frank’s or A1 styles and skip heavy BBQ or steak sauce overload if you want the classic taste.

Which bun without getting soggy?

Use a soft sesame bun, butter-toast cut sides 60-90 seconds and foil-rest 2 minutes; toasting plus quick serving keeps it soft but not wet.

Sources: US burgers menu, US toppings and brands, nutrition and allergen guide, France burgers menu, independent 171 g nutrition sheet, all checked October 5, 2026. US figures are US market, French prices French market.

Older article to update with a backlink: burger-value-wars-2026.md. Internal links added: homemade-burger-buns-recipe, shackburger-copycat-recipe, burger-value-wars-2026. Left out as unsourced: exact raw patty weight, griddle temperature and flip timing, and in-store salting moment, all presented above as home hypotheses only.