Groton - The stainless steel, retro Oh Boy diner on Route 184 is gutted and ready to accommodate the region's third Five Guys Burgers & Fries restaurant.

Work began last week on the restaurant, which is scheduled to open the week of June 13, said Kevin Glazier, owner of KSM Enterprises LLC of Madison. KSM manages franchises in East Lyme and Mystic. Glazier said he bought the diner for $700,000 and is seeking to expand throughout New London and Windham counties.

Diners for lunch and dinner won't have to sit down to snag the franchise's fresh burgers and hand-cut fries, however, although with seating for up to 70 inside and 20 outside on a planned patio, they will always have that option.

Besides calling in a take-out order, customers can order online at www.fiveguys.com or on their Droid smartphones. (An iPhone app is in the works, Glazier says).

Based in Lorton, Va., the privately owned company Five Guys Burgers and Fries has about 800 restaurants around the country. Despite the recession, Five Guys has been a success story locally since the Mystic restaurant opened in May of 2008. (The East Lyme restaurant followed in December of 2009).

"Our brand is very strong right now," Glazier said, "because it's a fresh product. It's not processed. We never freeze anything. Everything is made every day. It's just like something you'd eat at home."

That's not to say the high cost of food, electricity and oil haven't posed challenges, but the restaurants have weathered the recession well so far, Glazier said. He declined to reveal individual annual franchise revenues.

"We're providing a product that is relatively reasonable (in cost) and good quality," said Glazier. "For some, it's a splurge. For others it's an alternative (to) McDonald's. We're meeting the need. Everybody loves burgers and fries."

The limited menu also offers hot dogs and veggie and grilled cheese sandwiches. The most popular item is a bacon cheeseburger that goes for $6.09, Glazier said.

As KSM sought to expand in its two-county market, the opportunity arose to buy the property at a time when customers, including those in the Navy, have been asking for a Groton location, Glazier said. The spot right off Interstate 95 and the Gold Star Highway across from Wal-Mart was also attractive, he said.

On Wednesday, contractors worked on the inside of the 2,900-square-foot modular building, which will eventually have red and white tile on the walls and three cash registers, one of which will be dedicated to take-out service. Glazier said he is working with the town of Groton to get approval for the outdoor patio.

He also plans to restore a clock to its spot on the stainless steel exterior, since a lot of customers have asked for it. The clock dates back to the days when the place was Rosie's Diner, he said.

Rosie's closed when its lease expired in September of 2005, after various incarnations dating back to the 1950s when it was the A&P Diner, and then the Twin Bridge. The new Oh Boy diner reopened after Rosie's shut down but closed abruptly in June of 2009. It then reopened as "Sal's," but closed after a few months, Glazier said.

Customers who order take-out online or with the smartphone apps will find they still have to wait a minute or two to pick up their order, Glazier said, even though their bill has already been paid remotely. Five Guys makes its fries at the last possible minute so they're nice and hot, he said.

"Take-out is 11/2 percent to 2 percent of the business," he said. "It's small, but it matters."

Hours at the restaurant will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

p.daddona@theday.com