Jerry Murrell, the 82-year-old CEO of fast-food chain Five Guys, distributed $1.5 million in bonuses to employees across its stores, but his motivation was unexpectedly candid. Murrell admitted he was motivated by fear, not generosity, stating he did not want to meet the same fate as UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was fatally shot in 2024. Luigi Mangione has been charged with that murder, though he has not pleaded guilty.
Promotion Overwhelms System
In February, Five Guys launched a two-for-one promotion to celebrate its 40th anniversary. The company anticipated a routine event, but the response was overwhelming. The app crashed, and many outlets had to withdraw the offer prematurely. Social media backlash followed, prompting the company to apologize and restart the promotion after a break. A March statement read, "You visited our restaurants in overwhelming numbers, and we weren't ready for you. We didn't meet our own standards, and that's not something we take lightly. So we're asking for a do-over."
Employees Bear the Brunt
The promotion's chaos left employees facing consumer frustration. Murrell decided to write 1,500 checks of $1,000 each to impacted stores. In an interview with Fortune, he joked, "I didn't want anybody shooting me in the back or anything after the first day, because we really screwed it up. We had no idea that we were going to get that kind of response."
Murrell funded the bonuses with money originally intended to buy his wife a fur coat. "She still looks at me like I'm stupid," he said. "But I thought it was worth it. They worked so hard. They were so overwhelmed."
Social Media Reactions
Whenever Murrell's story circulates, social media users thank Luigi Mangione for instilling fear among CEOs. Comments ranged from "At least he's honest. Most CEOs just give pizza parties; this guy chose a different kind of 'insurance' policy," to "Imagine being so rich that you can just pay for peace of mind while eating a burger. The American Dream is really thriving."
