Five Guys App Hits #1 on App Store After National Cheeseburger Day Promo in September 2026

The app's rank climb was swift. On September 15, it was ranked #71 in the Food & Drink category. Following the promotion's launch on September 16, it jumped to #4. By September 17, it secured the #1 spot, a total climb of 70 positions in two days. It held this top rank through September 18, the final day of the offer.

This movement was fueled by a sharp rise in user acquisition. On September 16, the first day of the BOGO offer, estimated daily downloads surged to over 51,000, a nearly 900% increase from the 5,262 downloads recorded the day before.^[4] The week of the event became the app's strongest for downloads in the last 12 weeks.

The primary driver for the surge was a 'Buy One, Get One Free' burger deal for National Cheeseburger Day.^[2] The promotion, which ran from September 16 to 18, required customers to use the promo code "BOGOBURGER". Critically, the offer was exclusive to digital orders placed through the Five Guys app or website.^[3] It was not valid for in-store orders or third-party delivery services, forcing interested customers to download and use the app.

Discounts from the brand are known to be infrequent, which likely amplified the promotion's appeal. The ranking change was not connected to a product update; the most recent app version was released a month earlier for security updates.

The Five Guys app is free and functions as an ordering tool, generating no direct revenue through sales on the App Store. The promotion's goal was user acquisition and direct-channel engagement, not immediate monetization. The nearly 900% increase in daily downloads shows a significant return on this strategy, bringing over 51,000 new users onto its proprietary platform in a single day.

This promotional strategy is common in the fastGlossaryFree Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST)Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV — linear, channel-style streaming services (Pluto TV, Tubi, Roku Channel) that are free to viewers and monetized entirely through adve...-food industry. For National Cheeseburger Day, competitors like McDonald's and Burger King also ran app-based deals. For instance, McDonald's offered a free Double Cheeseburger with a $1 in-app purchaseGlossaryIn-App Purchase (IAP)Any purchase made inside an app after installation — consumables, non-consumables, or subscriptions. Processed by Apple or Google, who take a 15-30% commission. for rewards members. This shows a broader industry trend of using proprietary apps to cultivate direct customer relationships and gather data, bypassing third-party aggregators.

While the promotion was a clear success, user reviews for the Five Guys app reveal a persistent point of friction: the absence of a loyalty program. This theme appears across multiple app versions. A 3-star review on August 8 for version 5.21.0 noted, "I’m also surprised that there isn’t any loyalty or rewards program." More recently, a 3-star reviewer on August 29 for version 5.22.1 wrote, "what’s the point of having an app without rewards? As expensive as the food is, makes no sense to not reward the costumers with a points system."

A 5-star reviewer from September 8 echoed this: "The ONE thing missing, are Perks. Every other food app I have, comes with Perks (points towards free/ discounted food options.)" The download surge suggests a large audience is receptive to incentives, even if the app lacks a permanent rewards structure.

The success of this short-term promotion suggests Five Guys could drive sustained mobile engagement with more regular offers. The data shows a large, untapped audience willing to use the app when incentivized. However, the app's ranking and download rate will likely fall sharply now that the promotion has ended. Without a recurring incentive structure like a rewards program, retaining these new users will be a challenge. The event serves as a clear signal of customer demand for digital value from the brand.