Five Guys seeks sites in Gothenburg and Malmö

Five Guys is looking for restaurant premises in Gothenburg and Malmö and is considering another site in the Stockholm area. The aim is to reach ten restaurants across the Nordic region, Ethan Jabbar, who oversees the chain’s expansion and operations, told Swedish property publication Fastighetsvärlden. The expansion is being led by NCPA Capital, which holds the franchise rights for the Nordic region.

Gothenburg and Malmö on the expansion map

Sweden and Denmark are first in line as Five Guys plans its continued Nordic expansion. Finland and Norway will follow, according to Ethan Jabbar. The chain currently has four restaurants in the region: two in the Stockholm area and two in the Copenhagen area.

In Sweden, the search for premises is now focused on Gothenburg and Malmö. Another restaurant in the Stockholm area may also be considered. Speaking to Fastighetsvärlden, Jabbar emphasised the importance of location:

– The rest of the business is doing well, and we are looking for more premises in prime locations.

This is therefore an ongoing search for sites, rather than an announcement of openings at confirmed addresses. No opening dates have been given for Gothenburg or Malmö. For Sweden’s franchise community, the main news is the geographical focus: the Nordic franchisee wants to take the concept to more of Sweden’s major cities.

The target of ten Nordic restaurants would represent a larger presence than the current four outlets. However, no deadline has been given for reaching that target, nor any indication of how the restaurants would be distributed between countries.

Stockholm provides a basis for further expansion

Five Guys’ first Nordic restaurant opened at Sergels torg in central Stockholm on 10 February 2025. According to Fastighetsvärlden, the queue on opening day stretched for 100 metres, with queues continuing over the following days.

The restaurant generated turnover of SEK 44.2 million in its first eleven months. The second Swedish restaurant is in Westfield Mall of Scandinavia in Solna, just outside Stockholm, which is owned by URW. Together, they make up the chain’s current Swedish presence.

Ethan Jabbar also reported annual turnover of around SEK 100 million, excluding VAT, for the operations discussed in the interview. This figure should be distinguished from the reported eleven-month turnover at the Sergels torg restaurant: they represent different measures and periods.

Jabbar says the Scandinavian operations reached profitability relatively quickly after the restaurants’ initial settling-in period. He describes performance at Sergels torg as particularly strong and says the company is also pleased with its two new restaurants in the Copenhagen area. According to him, these attracted long queues for several weeks.

This is the company’s own account of its performance. The turnover at Sergels torg nevertheless provides a concrete measure of sales during the initial trading period, without in itself indicating the restaurant’s profit or loss.

Site-level economics matter more than restaurant numbers

The expansion plans come as Five Guys has withdrawn from Uppsala. Ethan Jabbar describes the closure as an isolated incident and says the business was not financially viable at that location. When another operator wanted to take over the premises, the company chose to accept the offer.

This means the continued growth plan does not depend on retaining every existing site. The company is seeking new locations in other cities while having closed a restaurant that did not work financially.

In the interview, Jabbar also describes Sweden as a market with a strong burger culture and high customer expectations. He believes this suits Five Guys. At the same time, competition for burger customers is fierce across several price brackets, according to Fastighetsvärlden.

The distinction between attractive cities and suitable individual premises will therefore be central to further expansion. Gothenburg and Malmö have been identified as search areas, but it remains to be seen which sites will actually become new restaurants.

NCPA Capital holds the Nordic rights

In Sweden, Five Guys is operated by entrepreneur Noel Abdayem through NCPA Capital. The company holds the franchise rights for the Nordic region and is therefore responsible for the American concept’s regional rollout.

Five Guys was founded in 1986 by Jerry and Janie Murrell, who opened the first restaurant in Arlington, Virginia, together with their five sons. The family business began franchising in 2003 and, according to Fastighetsvärlden, has grown to nearly 2,000 restaurants in around 30 countries.

The Nordic operation therefore remains small compared with the brand’s international footprint. The next step is to secure more sites, with Sweden and Denmark as the priority markets and ten restaurants as the stated target.

Practical takeaway: For property owners and others in the franchise community, Gothenburg and Malmö are the cities to watch. However, distinguish the search for premises from confirmed openings: addresses and opening dates have yet to be announced.