in and out burger

I have never eaten at an in and out burger.....what are some of your thoughts??

Good burgers with fried onions, terrible fries.

Decent burgers for a chain--kicks just about all the other burger chain butts--but not as good as the best burgers at independent places. Even better than their burgers are their T-shirts: http://shop.in-n-out.com/innout/dept.asp?s_id=0&dept_id=3003&WT.svl=deptnav1&dept_name=Collector+T%2DShirts

They do use real meat and cook it to order, and since they don't franchise, you know where to complain if you want to.

The best chain burgers available in the West. Good fries and one can order them well done and they arrive well done, just the way I like em. Good shakes. Not skimpy on the syrup to carb water mixture in their fountain drinks.

They're fast (very fast), efficient and consistent. Clean stores and civil, presentable employees.

Only burger that is better is the one you fix at home!!!

Well, just ate last week, on the way to see Genesis in Sacramento, at my favorite -Bartel's -in Redding, and then In-and-Out a day later,
and cappy is right, best chain burgers, but not best burgers.
Bartel's is a wonderful mess of fresh Hamburger and all the fixings, including red onions
They even ask you how you want your burger cooked, a sure sign of tastibility.
a drippy gooey mess of 1/2 lb burger giantness.
In short, In and Out is Good, but a local fresh burger place still can kick their butts.
The t shirts aren't as cool, I'll grant everyone that.

Now I want to run up to Bartel's, after that description.

Blue heaven, here's a repeat of a previous QFan response to an INO thread:


In my last trip to LV last spring, I tried the "animal style" for the first time. It was YUUUMMY! Probably wouldn't have known about it if not for Roadfood posts. I made it to INO twice during a 4-day visit. Will be going to Phoenix this December and am looking forward to another INO fix.


All I can add is that being an Easterner, I plan every trip to the west coast to include an In N Out stop if there is anyway possible. I am continually amazed how a ff chain can keep serving a burger that is consistently that good! I hope you get your first chance in the very near future.

QFan
Bonita Springs, FL

quote:

Originally posted by QFan

I am continually amazed how a ff chain can keep serving a burger that is consistently that good!

It's pretty easy, actually. The guy who founded the chain was something of a fanatic and he refused either to over-expand or to franchise. And he also was remarkably dedicated to putting out an honest product (perhaps because he was also very religious). Although I believe he is now dead, the company is still privately owned by his heirs and they keep a careful eye not only on the basic menu and how it's executed but on each and every outlet. Here in Tucson, they have only one "store" but people make pilgrimmages to it from across the metro area and it's obvious they could make money opening more--but they won't do it until and unless they are ready. The story in SF is similar. Their only outlet in the city is at Fisherman's Wharf and, like many, I have been known to cross the city to eat there, but they won't open more of them, I believe because they aren't ready to supervise and monitor more at a level that meets their standards.

Fast service!!?? I've never been anywhere with slower service, whether inside at the counter or in the drive-up line. It takes forever. In a previous life in San Diego, before there were any In and Outs there, this woman I dated raved about their burgers available in L.A. She talked about them so much that I was salivating in anticipation of eating one.

One weekend we visited her kids near L.A., with the promise of eating my first I&O burger. We went through the drive-up and took them home. After all the buildup, I was expecting something extraordinary. To me, they were about a half a step above a McDonald's......bland and very ordinary, a big letdown. But, that's just me.

I've asked before but "what compares" to In and Out? Is it like Steak N Shake, Culver's, Naugles, or McDonald's? Which tastes the closest for one who's never had one?

quote:

Originally posted by jeepguy

I've asked before but "what compares" to In and Out? Is it like Steak N Shake, Culver's, Naugles, or McDonald's? Which tastes the closest for one who's never had one?

Since RF is all about personal taste and opinion, I find that the Hardees ThickBurger (1/3 lb version) or the FatBurger (1/3 lb version) come pretty close. I have other problems w/ Hardees, but I think they put out a pretty decent burger. You should be able to find one somewhere near your area.

QFan
Bonita Springs, FL

In n Out is "slow" like Wendy's was slow, back when they were good.

If you want pre-cooked food served to you from under a heat lamp go to any of the other chains. In n Out cooks to order, and really cooks it your way.

Beyond that, I agree with the majority here. It's about the best chain burger, and reminiscent of what drive-in burgers were like when I was a kid in the 60s. Also, the veggie toppings actually taste like something, rather than just tasting like a refrigerator. The fries are fresh and taste of potato, but just aren't cooked that well - maybe I should ask for well-done next time.

I live in New Jersey and never had a burger from In-N-Out. An East Coast chain, Five Guys, has expanded and opened a few restaurants near me. I love their burgers and consider them the best chain burger I've had. For those of you who've had both, how does Five Guys compare to In-N-Out? I've heard a wide variety of opinions on both places, and also how they compare to each other. It seems that most who make a direct comparison prefer In-N-Out, although quite a few people prefer Five Guys by a lot. Jason Perlow of offthebroiler.com and one of the founders of Egullet prefers Five Guys and thinks that In_N-Out is overrated. Wondering what people here on Roadfood think.

John,
I have had them both and find them about equal...with perhaps a slight variation that was probably due to the service I got at In n Out, my students worked at the stand I frequented in SoCal.
I think...and this is strictly an opinion, some of the 'favoritism' for either (using Jason's entry as an example) is a bias by location "Eastern vs California."

I think if you took the labels off the burgers and served them to someone in Nebraska (Legal Lady comes to mind) you would get a fair comparison. But label something "Californian"...OR "East Coast" and a built in Bias seems to enter the evaluation! How many times have we watched the Pizza Competition between Chicago and New York turn into a Pep Rally for both locations with little regard for the actual pizzas involved. Remove the geographic references and serve them in Salt Lake City and I think you will get an honest evaluation!

ATM, very thoughtful comment. I like (love) both INO and 5Guys--with maybe a slight preference for INO. However, I had never thought about the left coast vs. right coast bias. I'll have to ponder on that for awhile.

QFan
Bonita Springs, FL

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

John,
I have had them both and find them about equal...with perhaps a slight variation that was probably due to the service I got at In n Out, my students worked at the stand I frequented in SoCal.
I think...and this is strictly an opinion, some of the 'favoritism' for either (using Jason's entry as an example) is a bias by location "Eastern vs California."

I think if you took the labels off the burgers and served them to someone in Nebraska (Legal Lady comes to mind) you would get a fair comparison. But label something "Californian"...OR "East Coast" and a built in Bias seems to enter the evaluation! How many times have we watched the Pizza Competition between Chicago and New York turn into a Pep Rally for both locations with little regard for the actual pizzas involved. Remove the geographic references and serve them in Salt Lake City and I think you will get an honest evaluation!

Except that the Hamburgers right by Legal Lady are better than either.

Five Guys just opened up in Knoxville just a few months ago. I have yet to try them. I have had In N Out many times in the Fontana area and Las Vegas. It was always a good stop.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Double double with onions. M mmmmm, can ya feel yer arteries hardening, but soooo good.

3 X 2, fries, with a pink lemonade for me.

Double double animal style. When ever I fly into calif I immedietely head for INO. Five guys is decent but they dont hold up to INO.

Funny, Mike We use Ontario for our airport of choice when we visit SoCal. Our first stop after the rental car building is ALWAYS the Farmer Boys on Miliken about half mile from that end of the airport. A Farmer Burger, Rings,& Zucchini Spears are our 'baptism of food' after the flight out west. In N Out is on the list of mandatory stops...but not first !!

When we race with NHRA, Ontario is always our airport of choice. It is so much easier to get in and out of. We always stay at the Residence Inn in Ontario and the food around there is very good. Inn and Out is very close.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Ehhh... I don't really like In-N-Out. The patties just seem really thin and always overdone, almost crunchy. The fries are different, I think they are OK.
-Scott Lindgren

Al, I've never eaten at a Farmer's Boy. Didn't have any in Fresno or that area. I flew into LAX back in Oct 06. My 1st trip back to Calif in 5 years. It was great.

I'll add another nod for Farmer Boys.

I became a fan of In-N-Out when they sponsored a top fuel car with NHRA. I had to try them so the hotel I stayed at in Ontario, CA had a In-N-Out very close, I starting stopping. I certainly enjoyed them along with their fries.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Mike ,
Farmer Boys is a small chain that started at a stand out by March A F B in Riverside County. In recent years it has expanded rather quickly thru the Inland Empire Area and even into the L A and Orange County areas. There are a couple up on the High Desert as well. While some folks claim the quality has dropped as the growth has expanded, we have found the stores we visited in earlier times as as good as ever.

In N Out has a much larger store-count. In N Out has also had the ability to maintain the quality of the products thru it's growth cycle.

I think both of these food service business's deserve the recognition they get as "good" places to stop for "Fast Food". I also believe that the two are quite different in "style", each having a market seqment that doesn't compete directly with the other.

quote:

A Farmer Burger, Rings,& Zucchini Spears

Isn't Zuchini Spears the un-pregnant but smarter of the Spears' sisters who isn't a nut-case?

Yeah, 1-iron, She played the Mother-In-Law of one of the Soprano Family Boys!

Comment on the squash served. We see Slices of squash being battered and fried as Fair Food and a side-dish in this area now and then. Farmer Boys served Spears...roughly 6-7 inch long, battered and deep-fried, with a dip-cup of ranch dressing (or other flavor if you ask for it). They are a great side dish for the big burgers