Surprise: Five Guys is Britain's Favorite Fast-Food Restaurant

It began as a humble burger joint in an Arlington shopping center on Columbia Pike, and now it's been named Britain's favorite fast-food restaurant.

Five Guys has come a long way since it was founded in 1986 by the Murrell family, beginning with the first restaurant at the Westmont Shopping Center on the corner of Columbia Pike and Glebe Road, and now the restaurant chain is officially an international phenomenon. Analysis firm Market Force Information surveyed 4,565 UK customers and found that Five Guys Burgers and Fries came out on top ... in case you were surprised that Five Guys was even in the UK yet.

Last year's winner was South African chain Nando's. While Nando's was still top of the heap when it came to five of the eight categories, including speed and value, Five Guys crushed the competition when it came to food quality, cleanliness and staff friendliness.

"The quick service restaurant category is evolving all the time, with new chains launching and arriving from overseas," Cheryl Flink, chief strategy officer for Market Force Information, said in a statement. "Our research shows the quick traction of newcomer Five Guys – guests really appreciate the tasty burgers and think the brand offers great value."

Five Guys' first UK location -- its first location outside North America, in fact -- opened in July 2013 in London, and the chain has exploded since then: there are now dozens of restaurants in the country. Five Guys is also expanding into the rest of Europe and even into the Middle East.