The Untold Truth Of In-N-Out Burger

Chances are that if you've ever been to In-N-Out Burger, you were sold after your first bite — that toasted sponge bread, the fresh-never-frozen patty, the grilled onions, the secret sauce — it's the antithesis of most drive-thru burgers. So it's no surprise that the chain has long been heralded the "it" fast food restaurant by its fans, and since opening in 1948 has managed to gain a cult following that other burger joints could only wish to achieve. Somehow they do this without all the fancy marketing or television commercials, and without any locations further east than Texas. In fact, they operate in just six states (California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Utah, and Texas), but that hasn't stopped them from being revered by foodies around the globe.

Though there is plenty of talk of the chain's not-so-secret menu (Animal Style fries, anyone?), there might be a few secrets that even the biggest aficionados don't know about their beloved burger spot. Read on to discover some surprising In-N-Out Burger facts, but be warned, you'll definitely want a Double Double when you're done.

We all know the "animal style" menu hack by now — French fries topped with melty cheese, grilled onions, and so much spread it'll make your head spin. But it can be hard to get to the bottom of your tray before that glorious culinary concoction turns into a pile of soggy potatoes, and as we all know, In-N-Out's fries tend to be on the less crisp side. Fortunately, we have a solution, thanks to former In-N-Out manager, "Kathy," who spoke anonymously to Thrillist and let us in on some key insider info. She spills, "I like fries that are a little soft. But if you're going to eat Animal fries, the best thing to do is to order them 'fry well' because the fries will hold their shape. They won't get soft and mushy under all the sauce, especially if you take your time eating them." Now that's a useful hack. 

Any In-N-Out enthusiast worth their salt knows all about the usual not-so-secret menu items by now (they're so well-known they're even listed on the company's website). But here a few lesser known menu hacks that still fly under the radar:

• Those of us with a penchant for tangy food will appreciate this tip from the Redditor at the helm of In-N-Out AMA: You can, and should, order a mustard-fried patty, which they say "is when the cooks add mustard to the meat while it's grilling and add pickles to the bottom bun."
• How about something for the person who only likes meat and cheese? That's a Flying Dutchman, which is literally just two patties with cheese melted between them. No bun, no toppings, no spread.
• Can't decide what flavor shake to get? Go Neapolitan. Yes, you can get all three flavors in one cup — just ask.
• If you're really into those grilled onions, you don't need to settle for chopped. You can request whole grilled onions and your burger will come topped with full slices instead.
• If you simply must have a salad, it's doable. Ask for a side salad and you'll get a Double Double wrapper full of produce along with some spread to use as dressing. Genius. 

In-N-Out diners with an insatiable appetite might be familiar with one of the not-so-secret menu items, the 4x4 (or Quad Quad) — a ginormous burger that comes complete with four beef patties, four slices of cheese, all the fixings, and a bun. While four patties might seem like plenty, once upon a time a few overzealous customers pushed the limits of the multiple patty system by ordering a 100x100 (with a price tag of $97.66 and an estimated 19,490 calories). Why? Well, they were in Vegas...

The bad news is, according to a former In-N-Out worker on Quora, the restaurant no longer allows anything more than a quad because of this 100x100 debacle. There go our dreams of a 6x6.

Elaborating on the reason for the maximum order, an In-N-Out associate explained on Reddit that this has everything to do with presentation, saying, "We aren't allowed to make anything larger than 4x4s anymore. 4x4s are already ridiculously hard to wrap and anything larger would just look like a total mess."

That sounds about right, considering the 100x100 was an utter disaster of meat and cheese.

In a revealing AMA, a Redditor claiming to be an In-N-Out Burger associate shed some light on the freebie situation when a commenter asked about the employee discount. Police officers, take note here — if you haven't been taking your lunch breaks at In-N-Out, you're missing an opportunity.

The employee explained the ins and outs (get it?) of the discount, saying, "Associates get a free meal every shift. We can order anything up to the size of a double double. However, we can't order animal fries or shakes unless we pay for them ourselves. We also can't give discounts to friends or families."

The commenter went on to explain who does get a discount — and why. "The only discount we do give out is a police officer discount... We only give police officers discounts if they're in uniform, too. Otherwise, no discount. This is because seeing an officer in uniform in the restaurant makes customers feel safer apparently."

If you've ever peeked beneath your cup while noshing at In-N-Out, you might have spied what looks like a Bible reference. Spoiler alert: It is a Bible reference. Much of the restaurant's food packaging is marked with such a notation. The soda cups cite John 3:16, the milkshake cups bear mention to Proverbs 3:5, and the water cups are stamped with John 14:6. Even the burger wrappers and the French fry trays reference a verse in an inconspicuous spot.

The company's founding family, including now-president Lynsi Snyder, are known for their strong religious beliefs. People reports that the burger heiress has commented that faith saved her life, saying, "I really value the love and good times I had with my dad but even that can't compare completely to the love that God has for me. God got me back up after all of these failures and he can lift me up and see me go forward and I know that he can be glorified." She even also has two tattoos citing Bible verses, though they aren't the same as those on In-N-Out's packaging.

It shouldn't be too surprising from a company whose tagline is "Quality you can taste," but In-N-Out goes above and beyond when it comes to the quality of their food.

In fact, the reason that you don't see the fast food chain across the country is because they refuse to use frozen patties, and will only open stores within 300 miles of their patty-making facilities (located in California and Texas). This ensures the product can be delivered fresh to each restaurant every day. Associates at the facilities are involved every step of the way, removing the bones, grinding the meat, and ultimately making the patties, which, of course, are 100 percent USDA ground chuck and free of preservatives, additives, and fillers.

This commitment to quality extends to every ingredient — the lettuce is hand-leafed, the fries are hand-cut, the buns are freshly baked, the shakes are made with real ice cream — and you will never find a microwave or heat lamp in any store. Ever.

It's a well established fact that In-N-Out has high standards when it comes to food quality, but the reason they closed all 37 of their Texas locations for two days in June 2018 is surprising even so. 

What could possibly prompt the company to willingly miss out on 48 hours worth of burger, french fry, and shake sales? The statewide closure was a result of sub-par buns. Yes, buns. Though it might seem like a trivial reason to close, the chain is just that committed to serving the best, fluffiest burger buns you ever sunk your teeth into. The company said in a statement, "At In-N-Out Burgers, we have always served the highest quality food with no compromise. We recently discovered that our buns in Texas do not meet the quality standards that we demand. There was and are no food safety concerns. We decided to close all of our Texas stores until we are confident that we can serve our normal high quality bun."

No word on what the bun issue actually was, but the company's reaction certainly proves how serious they are about their burgers.  

In-N-Out has always been committed to using 100 percent fresh beef that's free of additives, preservatives, and fillers. But what about antibiotics? A 2018 report that ranked 25 different burger chains on their policies relating to antibiotic use in their beef gave In-N-Out a big, fat "F." 

Why the failing grade? In 2016, amidst pressure from environmental, animal welfare, and consumer groups, In-N-Out released a statement saying, "Our company is committed to beef that is not raised with antibiotics important to human medicine and we've asked our suppliers to accelerate their progress toward establishing antibiotic alternatives." At that time, however, no timeline was provided for this change. Now, two years later, that lack of change earned them that failing grade. "In-N-Out Burger publicly announced in 2016 that it intended to source beef raised without medically important antibiotics," the report states. "Despite requests to do so, the company has yet to follow through with a time-bound commitment or provide any updates on its progress."

In case you're wondering, Shake Shack and BurgerFi were the only chains to receive "A" grades for "sourcing beef raised without antibiotics."

There's a reason In-N-Out has a cult following: It's good food, plain and simple. This belief is held not only by your casual fast food connoisseurs, but by legendary chefs, too. Behold...

First We Feast reports that the inimitable Julia Child was such a fan that she carried a list of store locations around with her, and even sent an assistant out on a burger run while she was in the hospital.

Napa Valley chef and restaurateur Thomas Keller certainly knows how to party, once taking to Twitter to proclaim, "Celebrated The French Laundry's anniversary with what else? In-N-Out burgers!" He's also quoted as saying, "My first experience at In-N-Out Burger inspired me to do a hamburger restaurant. I've had it in the back of my mind for sixteen years but I haven't gotten around to it. It's kind of a secret fantasy."

And the notoriously cranky Gordon Ramsay also approves, having stated, "People think Americans are obese and burgers are bad for them—they are delicious. In-N-Out burgers were extraordinary. I was so bad, I sat in the restaurant, had my double cheeseburger then minutes later I drove back round and got the same thing again to take away." Been there, Gordon, been there.

That's right, even the food world's saltiest critic digs In-N-Out.

Talking to Eater, the late Anthony Bourdain was full of colorful anecdotes, musing that he could post a photo of himself, Christopher Walken, Keith Richards, and the Dalai Lama — in a hot tub doing bong rips, no less — to Instagram, and that the aforementioned image would garner fewer "likes" than a photo of his In-N-Out burger sitting alone on a table. Probably true.   

He also confessed that it was his favorite place to eat in L.A, saying that he stopped at In-N-Out on his way into town and again on his way out. "It's the only fast food chain that I actually like, and think is reasonably good for the world," he said, before going on to praise the bun selection, the maximum meat surface area of the thin patties, and the perfect "cheese-like substance." Ultimately, the entire thing was deemed "brilliant."

Bourdain offering nothing but praise? What more proof do we need?

Considering a career change? You might want to think about In-N-Out. The California Sun reported that the burger chain's managers make more than $160,000 per year on average, not to mention a benefit package including paid vacation, health insurance, vision insurance, dental insurance, and 401(k) plans. Denny Warnick, vice president of operations, explained in a statement that the company's founders wanted employees to focus on quality service, and that "paying their associates well was just one way to help maintain that focus, and those beliefs remain firmly in place with us today."

To ensure their employees have all the tools they need, the company sends their new managers to In-N-Out University (yes, it's really a thing), where, according to their website, they "receive the training that lets our guests look forward to the highest quality food, cleanliness and customer service."

The fast food restaurant also promotes internal advancement, giving associates the opportunity to climb the ladder even without a college degree. In the meantime, they start at $13 per hour (as of March 2018).

When In-N-Out opened in 1948, the store's sign displayed the phrase "No Delay," presumably an indication of its fast drive-thru service. The red and yellow sign you're familiar with today has been around since 1954, when the brand's iconic arrow made its debut. That new logo was said to have inspired the restaurant's employees to adopt the sayings, "The arrow points to pride," and "We all work under the same arrow."

And those crossed palm trees that grace the logos and stand tall in front of stores? The company's website explains that it's actually an homage, stating, "One of founder Harry Snyder's favorite movies, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, features characters racing to find treasure buried under four palm trees planted to resemble the letter W. Because each In-N-Out store is Harry's treasure, a tradition of planting crossed palm trees in front of most In-N-Out locations [began]."

If you're really, really into In-N-Out, a regular ol' T-shirt just might not do. Maybe you're looking for something with a little more pizzazz? Well, look no further than Vault Forty Eight. Sounds like somewhere you'd need to know the password to get into, right? It's actually not a secret club, but the curated merchandise section of their shop, and according to their website, it offers "a collection of unique items fit for the most avid In-N-Out Burger fan." It is a treasure trove of fancy swag. We're talking about $50 Swarovski crystal keychains plated in rose gold(!) and emblazoned with the palm tree logo. And there's a $125 jewelry box, presumably for all your In-N-Out bling, also encrusted in crystals and featuring those ubiquitous palm trees. You're probably noticing a theme here — there are a lot of palm tree logos — but hey, hard core fans like to represent.

She's called the burger heiress. At just 35, she inherited the company and instantly became a billionaire. But In-N-Out president Lynsi Snyder is notoriously private, and tends to stay out of the limelight. Over the years, though, she's given the media a glimpse of what her life is really like, and it's full of personal ups and downs.

Snyder has been married four times, and has said that her father's passing (due to overdose) caused her to "fill the huge void" with men, drugs, and alcohol. During her time of struggle, she ultimately turned to God, saying, "I realized, I'm gonna follow in the footsteps of my father in that I'm gonna meet an early death if I do not get right with God and follow him." After three failed marriages, she met her current husband, Sean Ellingson. Together with Ellingson, the mom of four channeled her faith and formed the Army of Love ministry, whose mission is to "Deploy this 'Army of Love' to minister directly to, and provide resources and referrals for, people in need.

What does she do to unwind? Synder loves drag racing. She told Orange Coast Magazine, "I'm a lot like my dad, a little bit of a daredevil. I like an adrenaline rush. My dad took me to the racetrack for the first time when I was 2 or 3... Anything with a motor, that was in my blood."

These days, we all know Lynsi Snyder, the billionaire In-N-Out heiress, as the company's president. But before Lynsi took the helm, her uncle, Rich Snyder bore the title.

In 1976, after founder Harry Snyder died, his son Rich was named as president of the growing burger chain, KCET reports. At 24 years old, it was quite a responsibility, but the young man had been doing the company's books for almost a decade at that point. Under Rich's leadership, In-N-Out saw success, expanding from 18 to 80 locations by 1992. Bob Meserve, Harry's nephew, remembered, "Rich was shrewder as a business person. Harry was old school and Richard was new school. Rich had vision. He knew what he wanted to accomplish."

Rich didn't get that chance though — on December 15, 1993 he was killed when his private jet crashed during descent into a field near the John Wayne Airport in Orange County. He was just 41 years old.

Though In-N-Out has been known to respond to legal matters in a lighthearted way (remember the cease and desist letter full of chock-full of puns the company sent to Seven Stills Brewery?), they apparently draw the line at YouTube pranksters impersonating their CEO and harassing customers.  

In March 2018, Cody Roeder, star of YouTube channel Troll Munchies, donned a suit and strolled into two different Southern California locations claiming to be the company's new CEO, saying he was there for a "surprise visit" and insisting on a taste test of the burgers and fries. According to the lawsuit filed by In-N-Out, when Roeder "failed to incite a reaction from employees, (he) then approached a customer, picked up his burger, and began pulling the patty apart in the middle of the restaurant claiming it was contaminated" before he "proceeded to throw the burger on the ground in the middle of the restaurant and step on it, telling the customer it was 'garbage.'" Of course he uploaded these incidents to his channel (pics or it didn't happen, right?), and not only did In-N-Out hit him with a restraining order, the company is also seeking more than $25,000 in damages due to the  "significant and irreparable" harm Roeder caused to the chain. Were those clicks really worth $25k, Cody?

In August 2018, ahead of a contentious mid-term election, In-N-Out devotees with Democratic leanings were dismayed to learn that their favorite burger joint had not only donated $25,000 to the California Republican party, but had also made similar donations in 2016 and 2017. This revelation prompted Eric Bauman, California Democratic party chairman, to tweet, "Tens of thousands of dollars donated to the California Republican Party... it's time to #BoycottInNOut – let Trump and his cronies support these creeps... perhaps animal style!" The tweet gained plenty of steam, but the party never officially backed the boycott. "We're not happy that In-N-Out gave the money, but we're not calling for an official boycott," John Vigna, the party's communications director, told the Los Angeles Times, clarifying that Bauman's view were his own.

Not wanting to ruffle the feathers of any one party, In-N-Out clarified that their contributions had been equal to both Democratic and Republican PACs. "For years, In-N-Out Burger has supported lawmakers who, regardless of political affiliation, promote policies that strengthen California and allow us to continue operating with the values of providing strong pay and great benefits for our associates," the company said in a statement.

Attention: In-N-Out Cookout Trailers exist, and will come to you on location to make all your In-N-Out fantasies come true. Think about it: An In-N-Out wedding? An In-N-Out baby shower? An In-N-Out family reunion? All vastly improved by the Cookout Trailer. 

There are a few things you should know though, before you book the food truck of your dreams. For starters, only those lucky enough to live in certain parts of Southern California or the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex need apply. You'll also need plenty of real estate — 70 feet of parking space is required for the behemoth trailer. So far so good? Here comes the really bad news. Before you get your heart set on the full In-N-Out dining experience, know that only burgers are available from the truck, not fries or shakes. And then there's the sizable $1700 minimum charge. But hey, that's a small price to pay for on-demand Double Doubles, right?

In-N-Out is known for a fairly simple, basic menu, and there haven't been any changes to it in about 15 years. If it ain't broke, why fix it, right? So customers were excited to see the addition of hot cocoa to the beverage section in January 2018 — though the drink isn't exactly new.

According to The Orange County Register, In-N-Out president Lynsi Snyder said in a statement, "This is actually the return of hot cocoa. My grandparents, Harry and Esther Snyder, served it for many years beginning in the '50s. I'm not sure how it fell off the menu but it's part of our culture and something special for kids, and I'm happy that we're bringing it back."

The 8-ounce cup sells for $1.60, and is made with Ghirardelli cocoa powder and topped with mini marshmallows. And if you love it, have no fear, it's back for good and available at all locations.