Five Guys expands catering with ezCater to 800 locations, affecting frontline schedules

Five Guys announced a nationwide expansion of its catering program through a partnership with ezCater, making catering available at roughly 800 restaurants beginning in January 2026. The chain is targeting workplace and event orders, offering options that range from small group bundles to larger build-your-own stations. For crew and managers on the ground, the change shifts more than just order volume; it changes how shifts are staffed and how the back of house operates.

Catering orders typically come with higher average checks and require coordinated labor - from extra prep and assembly to dedicated pickup and delivery handling. That combination tends to put pressure on scheduling systems that are already balancing breakfast or lunch rushes, dine-in demand, and third-party delivery windows. Stores adding catering will likely create or reassign roles focused on bulk prep, staging, and accuracy checks, and may need to train staff on larger-party execution and timing.

For frontline workers the rollout is a mixed bag. Operators can use catering to add hours and stabilize weekday traffic, since corporate and event orders often fall during business hours. At the same time, catering can introduce schedule volatility: managers may call in extra staff for large jobs, push existing employees into earlier or later shifts, or create short-term shifts that complicate availability. Preparing multiple large trays, assembling build-your-own stations, and coordinating handoffs for off-site delivery all add tasks that differ from standard ticket-by-ticket service.

Store leadership will be tasked with adjusting labor models and communication. That could include carving out specific prep shifts, designating drivers or delivery partners, cross-training grill and front-of-house staff, and tightening staging and pickup procedures to prevent bottlenecks during peak catering windows. Smaller franchise locations with limited prep space may face sharper trade-offs between catering capacity and in-store service.

The move also aligns with a wider industry push to capture office and event catering dollars through third-party marketplaces and platforms. For employees, that means hands-on operational changes rather than corporate policy headlines: new checklists, expanded prep lists, and more frequent schedule updates. Managers who plan ahead can use catering to smooth hours and reduce idle time; those who don’t may see last-minute shift changes and increased short-term labor costs.

As the program rolls out this month, crew members should expect manager briefings on new procedures and potential schedule adjustments. For restaurants and their teams, the expansion represents a potential boost in business - but it will require real-time staffing shifts and clear communication to keep service steady while handling bigger, time-sensitive orders.