In-N-Out Burger, A Fast Food Underdog With a Cult Following
One of the first things that many people do when they come to California is seek out the nearest In-N-Out Burger. Founded in 1948 in the Baldwin Park suburb of Los Angeles (now headquartered in Irvine), In-N-Out Burger is pretty much the exact opposite of McDonald’s, the other famous southern California fast food hamburger chain. They are still a family owned business, one that has grown slowly over the years (there are now stores in Arizona and Nevada), primarily via word-of-mouth, with very little advertising. Also, they keep their menu very simple, with just a few items, all of which are made fresh on location, not delivered to the store frozen. For example, they hand cut potatoes which are then made into fries. Here are some photos I shot on a recent trip with Lori to the Millbrae, CA In-N-Out Burger.
One of the things that helps perpetuate In-N-Out Burger’s cult like following is their secret menu, which includes making things “animal style” where secret sauce, onions and melted cheese is added. John Marcotte (Badmouth) has a great write-up on their secret menu, including a PDF that you can download and take with you on your next visit.
The secret menu also includes various burger/cheese slice combos that can be ordered, like a 2×4, 3×3 and 4×4 and the Wikipedia article on In-N-Out Burger has a stunning photo of a 20×20, but it doesn’t stop there. In October 2004 blogger What Up Willy! and his crew, which included Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh, successfully challenged a Los Vegas In-N-Out Burger to make a 100×100 burger. Here’s their full write-up and video of this amazing story about how they ordered and consumed their 19,490 calorie hamburger.
Another interesting thing to note about In-N-Out Burger are the references to Bible verses that they print in hidden locations on their food packaging, like the infamous “John 3:16” that is printed on the bottom of their cups.
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on Sunday, June 17th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
I LOVE THIS!!! Thanks, Scott, for the awesome memories! When I was in college there was an In-N-Out just off campus and we made many a late night run. I have many a fond memory of those delicious In-N-Out burgers, the tantalizing grease, the fries, the grilled onions … there was a reason we called it “Sin-N-Shout.”
I NEVER knew that about the Bible verses, though. Never noticed it before — I wonder if that’s a fairly new thing? Sadly, I no longer live in California and In-N-Out is just a sweet memory from the past…
on Sunday, June 17th, 2007 at 6:08 pm
It’s ALL about the Double Double Animal style! Their grilled cheeses aren’t bad either but man they have some craptacular fries. I don’t care how fresh they might be they still suck ;-) Great post!
on Sunday, June 17th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Man I love In-N-Out. It’s great to see that a chain can do fast food, and make it taste good, and train their employees correctly. It’s very rare for an In-N-Out employee to be rude; they are seemingly always happy, friendly, and having fun, even when it’s packed and they’re all running around in the back like mad.
Thanks for writing this up.
Now we just need to get Tommy’s Burgers up here….
on Sunday, June 17th, 2007 at 6:49 pm
Ah yes. My standard In-N-Out order is double-double, animal-style and fries well-done.
on Sunday, June 17th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Darn! Just got back from L.A. and Pixelodeon. If I’d known I would have done the in-n-out!
on Sunday, June 17th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
Ahh!!! Now I’m hungry! In-N-Out is one of the few things that we *really* miss about California. There are still none in Texas :(
Thanks for the write up - and the memories…
Cheeseburger grilled onions
Fries
and a chocolate/strawberry shake. yum.
on Sunday, June 17th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
I love In-N-Out, but they’ve made changes in the last year. You can no longer get anything bigger than a 4×4. It’s been quite a let-down. At Caltech I helped to eat the 666×666 that was made for a ditch day stack, and now those days are gone forever.
on Sunday, June 17th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
I’ve heard that observant Muslims have also become fans of In-N-Out. While not strictly halal, the fact that the packaging contains biblical references is blessing enough, apparently.
I have to admit, having grown up with fast food, I still indulge from time to time. In-N-Out is definitely my preferred junk food destination.
on Sunday, June 17th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
in-n-out and Baha Fresh are probably my 2 favorite fast food places on the planet. We make almost yearly trips out there to visit our friend Jon, and since he introduced us to them, stops at both are now requirements of the trip!
on Sunday, June 17th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
Dang, I is hungry now. I was up in Sacramento yesterday, and this girl from Orgon commented that she must go to an In-N-Out while she’s in town!
on Sunday, June 17th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
great food, i love taking out of towners for their first experiences.
the bible verses are a little troubling but not enough to keep us atheists away from the great grub.
on Monday, June 18th, 2007 at 1:05 am
sf people, you don’t have to go all the way to l.a. for in n out. your loving little friend in the central valley, fresno, has 4!
as for the bible verses, they’re in several places. like, if you open up the bottom (outside seam) of the double double wrapper, there is a verse from nahum. they aren’t anything new to in n out packaging though. the founder, r.i.p., was a Xian and although i’m not sure if they’ve always been there, they have been there for quite some time.
on Monday, June 18th, 2007 at 4:56 am
Thanks for this! I ate regularly at the “second” In-N-Out. It’s still there on Lower Azusa near Santa Anita in El Monte, CA. Near the El Monte airport. There’s another at the “top end” of Santa Anita, near the 210 freeway.
Anyway, I may have missed it, but… not “pop culture” thing in the 80’s was the cut down bumper sticker:
In-N-Out
urge
on Monday, June 18th, 2007 at 5:11 am
Oh, and reading the Wikipedia article makes In-N-Out look like a walk-in restaurant. I’ve only seen one, and not till 5 years ago. Must be a Norteño thing… The one depicted in the intro animation at http://www.in-n-out.com/ is the real deal.
on Monday, June 18th, 2007 at 9:27 am
The thrust of this company is to promote Xtian thinking IMO. Perhaps it started out strictly for business, but the insidious placement of references to Bible passages on package containers can only be interpreted in one way: “Spread the Word, even by involuntary carriers.”
I cannot abide such deception, and therefore do not patronize them even to go hungry instead.
on Monday, June 18th, 2007 at 10:19 am
I love the In and Out…which makes living in Texas suck because they are so far away.
Last time we went out there we ate at In and Out for lunch, dinner, breakfast, at least 2 times a day if not more.
Then again, now that I think about it, it is a good thing I live so far away, because I would surely be dead by now, clogged veins and all.
on Monday, June 18th, 2007 at 11:42 am
They’re Mormon, I think — not Christian.
“Nahum” is not one of the books in the Christian Bible & it’s on the packaging along with John 3:16.
I know this because in my Evangelical Christian junior high school, for detention we had to write out all the books of the Bible FIVE HUNDRED TIMES.
And of course I was in detention hall a LOT.
on Monday, June 18th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
WOW. This article is awesome, and it’s makin’ my mouth water! We have family in SF, so everytime we go there we eat In-n-Out ALOT! I’m from Texas so it’s always like a “special treat” that is very pleasing! Thanks for the links and the video! :o)
on Monday, June 18th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Nahum is most definitely in the Xian scriptures. it is part of the Hebrew Bible, commonly referred to as the Old Testament. Nahum was one of the prophets. in your standard Xian Bible, Namum follows Micah and precedes Habakkuk. Not that most people care, just thought i’d throw it out there for those that were wondering if Summer was correct. it appears that her junior high school missed a book or two, or that she forget. ;}
(and if wiki’s right on this one, the definitely attribute the Bible verses to the Xian (not mormon) beliefs of the founding family. not that anyone cares.
on Tuesday, June 19th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
Why would SF people go to Fresno for In-N-Out? There’s one in San Francisco, one in Oakland, and one in Daly City. And the walk-in In-N-Out’s aren’t a NoCal thing–you can find them down south (Anaheim is one, there are others). OTOH, the In-N-Out in San Francisco might just be the only one in the entire chain without a drive-thru.
on Tuesday, June 19th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
My friend used to live next to the 3rd In n’ Out franchise in Bellflower. I ate there ALOT when I lived down there. They always had alternate bible verses on the different size drink cups.
It didn’t do much good though.
In the early ’90’s, ‘92 or ‘93 I think, the corporate jet crashed on the way back from the company Xmas party in Tahoe on Xmas eve. If I remember correctly, the president , CEO, son of the owners and several of the board of directors died in the crash. Doing the “lord’s work” didn’t stop the irony.
This happened after they changed the sticker design so no one could easily alter them to say “In N’ Out URGE” because it was an un-Xtian message.
God may have a sense of humor after all, if it exists.
on Tuesday, June 19th, 2007 at 11:05 pm
Good old In ‘n Out - apparently they are more reliable than the Sacramento PD, given the fact that someone handed my lost wallet into an In ‘n Out restaurant rather than give it to the police.
on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
Vegas has a lot of indoor seating and the Placentia location does not have a drive thru at all. I used to go there as a student nearby at CSU Fullerton. It’s where I first learned about the alternate menu, ironically from a vegetarian and later they had a kiosk that explained about 3×3, 4×4 and animal style.
Since you had to sit there (or take out), I used to call it “In and In and In…’N Out.” Which I guess sounds dirtier than the altered bumperstickers of my ’80s youth.
When did they get SF locations? There weren’t any when I lived there.
on Saturday, July 14th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
Summer says Nahum is not a book in the Christian BIble.
Somebody must have pulled a trick on her by cutting it out of hers! Why I could not say.
In-and-Out founders were not Mormons but regular Christians.
on Sunday, July 22nd, 2007 at 10:40 am
I grew up in La Crescenta, Ca and In N Out was the friday night hangout. It had I think six drive thru lanes and some outdoor picnic tables. This was in the eighties so there were no indoor sit down restaurants in the chain. There was a secret style called “doggie style.” Not the dirty sexual way either. We did giggle sometimes while ordering though. Since it was a drive thru guys would go through in a pick-up with a dog in the back. The double-double was two uncooked patties with all the fixins thrown into one of those cardboard serving boxes they have. One friends dog regularly ate the cardboard box as well as the delicious, fresh burger.
on Wednesday, July 25th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
I grew up near Arrow Highway and Grand In-N-Out. I remember a guy named “Red” that worked there in the early 60’s. I always wondered if he became a manager. I love the double double and have forever and the fries are the best. I remember when they use to drain them out in cheese cloth type towels, it was fun to watch. When I moved from Arizona they had just put them there now I am in Colorado and I miss them. Please come to Pagosa Springs Co, we are just a wide spot in the highway but you will always be busy. Thank you for great childhood memories.
on Saturday, July 28th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
YES I MUST SAY , WHEN EVER WE GO TO CALIFORNIA , WE MAKE A LIST OF THE FOOD PLACES WE WANT TO GO TO , AND IN-N-OUT BVURGERS IS ALWAYS ONE OF THEM . WE SURE MISS THEM IN VANCOUVER , WA. PLEASE COME AND PUT ONE OUT HERE , YOU WILL LOVE OUR SEASONS . BLESSINGS
on Monday, July 30th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
For you bay area folks, there is an In-N-Out in Petaluma, Pinole, Pittsburgh, Union City, Stockton and also in Tracy. So you are not too far from them.
In-N-Out was my first job. I worked at #4 in Covina, #1 in Baldwin Park, and a little bit of time at the Mansion during special events. Wish I had stayed. Managers are pulling in over 100K. DAMN.
Oh well at least I can still savor the flavor.
on Friday, August 10th, 2007 at 11:47 am
hey
the main reason native San Franciscans visit Fishermans’ Wharf
plus they pay over minimum wage here
P.S.
on Paul Oakenfold’s website in a web chat
he mentions that In-N-Out is his favorite burger
on Tuesday, August 14th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
In case anyone is interested, from what I’ve found, the closest thing you can get to an In-N-Out burger on the east coast is Blue 9 burger in the lower east side NYC.
Check it out. A far cry from the splendor of the west coast chain, but if you really have a hankering it can totally satisfy…and the fries are actually delicious!
on Tuesday, August 28th, 2007 at 11:09 am
I’ve been a suffering In-N-Out devotee since we moved from LA 15 years ago. It’s always the first stop when we leave the airport.
For those of you in Colorado, check out Goose Gossages place south of Denver. It’s as close to the real thing I’ve had outside the In-N-Out geographical area!!!
We’ve sinced moved overseas and I’m jonesing for a double double REAL BAD!!! I wonder how one would taste after being fed-ex’d over to Europe?!?!?!?!
on Thursday, November 15th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
WOW I Love In-N-Out I am doing a project for school on it. but just for fun I think I may get some of my friends together and go for a 125X125. this should be easy if we get at least 15 - 20 people… but I bet we’ll get about 10 - 15… hmm if we do it I we’ll film it and plaster it on youtube for sure. would be AWESOME!
on Tuesday, December 25th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Back in the day, I lived behind the Covina Drive In and just around the corner from the In N Out on Arrow Hwy. My best friend, Ken Sears, lived next door & he worked at the In N Out on San Bernadino Rd in Baldwin Park. I miss those double doubles and fries! WOW, I think i’m having a In N Out urge!
on Sunday, April 13th, 2008 at 1:46 am
I live right next to the In N Out on grand, less than half a mile, I used to walk down there each thursday grab a burger, and cruise the car show each week(car show sponsored by in n out). 3×3 xlg chocolate shake=moo ftw, its astounding to see how busy it gets at times, often will have a couple cops or ambulance drivers sneaking in for a burger during their shift, and a line that goes out of the drive through itself more often than not. Only in n out i’ve seen that makes the indoor+outdoor covina one look tame that ive seen is the West Covina stand, granted theres no outdoor space, but the line for drive through has gone to the street a couple times, and the indoor dining area is usually packed. Definitely a “Californian” place to go, palm tree, hot rods, retro 60s feel to each store, hmm well since Texas has the tequila worm… California should have the Neopalitan shake test.