>

I agree wholeheartedly.
I do not know whether to upvote or downvote, though.
I enjoy it because it used to be around the price of McDonald’s, and it’s still cheap comparatively. >

$4 for a burger that size and that level of quality is not bad at all >

When you compare it to Wendy's it is. >

Honestly Wendy’s seems pricier than in n out, that being said Culver’s slaps and Wendy’s is pretty good too >

If you get a specialty burger at Wendy's it's more expensive, for sure. However, Wendy's is cheaper than Culver's for kids meals by a lot and their standard menu items are overall a lot cheaper.
However, Wendy's has some pretty epic specialty burgers so l can't pretend I'm not going to spend the extra couple of bucks for them...
Don't know about In n Outs prices. We don't have any here. >

The bacon pub burger is/was divine >

Totally agree, if they kept that and their curder burger year round I'd be there more often. 
Wendy's has their pretzel burger and the Italian burger which are both just rip offs of Culver's but are always available. >

This is indeed unpopular. Lots of people I know dislike In-N-Out to be contrarian, and it is overhyped, but the price/value ratio is unbeatable. And, as a person who has eaten many fast food burgers, the quality of ingredients is hard to beat. Everything is fresh, fries are handmade in-store, shakes are top-tier.
Have my upvote!
Edit: Corrected spelling >

The price is great, if I'm out and about between 10-11am, I'll definitely pull into one, but any other time, I'm losing money just waiting in that dumb line.  Plenty of other burger joints manage to make fresh cut fries that taste good 5 minutes after you buy them, not sure why In n Out is so trash in that area. >

Are there any other fast food places that don’t use frozen French fries? >

Five guys >

Yeah, I thought of that. Great fries, but are they fast food? No drive thru. But idk I’d INO has a drive thru so my argument is moot in that regard >

Fries are crap. Burgers are top notch fast food burgers. Price is unbeatable for the quality. Shakes are S tier. >

Have you had a shake anywhere besides a chain diner or fast food? Because I promise there are shakes out there that will make you taste how fake In N Out’s are. >

I thought we’re talking chain fast food? The Jewish deli by my house makes an amazing shake. It’s $14 though. >

Their shakes are good, but it's hard to make ice cream bad.
I can't possibly imagine choosing an in-n-out shake over a blizzard from DQ >

Most definitely would choose a blizzard. Is a blizzard a shake? I thought a blizzard was just a blizzard? Like a standalone dessert. On the flip side I can’t imagine choosing a DQ burger over In N Out. >

Is a shake still a shake if you eat it with a spoon is an existential question of fast food. Is ice cream in a cup a shake? 
DQ sidesteps the argument by calling it a blizzard instead. Plenty of other places call them shakes. >

I’ve always wanted to try a McFlurry but the ice cream machine was broken every time. >


"How the hell does this place stay open?"

Great customer service, high quality ingredients (you not liking the burger doesn't change the fact that it's objectively one of the highest-quality fast food burgers around), low prices and extremely savvy business practices that emphasize customer satisfaction over profits.
The issue is that In-N-Out fans refuse to accept that it's a fast food burger, and thus needs to be judged against other fast food burgers like McDonald's, Wendy's or Carl's Jr, NOT to chains with completely different business models, like Five Guys or Red Robin. The hyperbolic praise it gets from diehard fans is about as obnoxious as the whiny histrionics about it being overrated. >

Terrible? Idk.  Overrated? Definitely. >

Wrong >

Every part of this country has some sort of regional burger place that everyone raves about. In N Out, Whataburger, White Castle, Culver’s….they are all mediocre burgers that are loved regionally because they are regional. 
I love In N Out…because the one near my house takes all of the hipsters out of the line for the Wendy’s next door. I can get my equally good burger in minutes while they wait in line 20 minutes for theirs. >

I never understood the fascination with White Castle, and I grew up on the East Coast. >

I've never heard about anyone rave about White Castle.  It's the place you go to at 2 am when nothing else is open. >

And you're high and/or drunk. >

So… like Denny’s but with burgers? >

It’s the best fast food burger in socal compared to any other fast food restaurant. $6 for a double cheeseburger and fries. Lol it’s a no brainer honestly >

I’m with OP; $6 for a double cheeseburger and fries is good, but when you need to tack on a bunch of extras like animal style or secret menu additions to make it appetizing it loses that edge. >

I’d be curious to see how many people order off the secret menu, which is free. I don’t really like adding a bunch of unnecessary toppings. It just gets messy at that point. >

I’m fine with customizing your burger, sometimes I want to mix it up; but the base offering should be good on its own. 
I just think if I need to lather the burger with extras, it wasn’t a good burger to begin with. >

They hardly have any meat. >

It is fucking fast food, nobody is saying it’s like the best food ever, and even then it’s not like every single McDonald’s has the same exact quality of food. Some McDonalds are gonna be shittier than others. You could have gone to a bad one, or just got a bad order. >


nobody is saying it’s like the best food ever,

They say that all the time. >

Not seriously, not compared to like an actual sit down rest restaurant. >

In the 90's it was the best burger I ever had.  Came back to Cali on 2019 and it was still better than the burgers on the east coast but not that "omg best burger in the world" memory.
Even in 2009 when my mother brought back a few when she flew out.  Even being 12 hours old and cold they tasted better than five guys to me.  Something definitely changed over the decades >

I used to work for a SoCal company so I flew in and out of LAX several times a year.  My ritual was to hit the spot near the airport, get a double double animal style and a shake, then drop off the rental and head home, it was pretty nice to watch the planes and eat a great fast food meal.  But I still don't crave it like some people.  It came to my city and I still haven't gone.  There are too many good burger options these days. >

I’m with you. I grew up on the East Coast and I’ve been hearing about it for years. When I finally tried it, I was completely underwhelmed. Admittedly I didn’t know about the “secret menu” at the time. >

Lol L take >

Upvote for being a true unpopular opinion. >

IMO you can't really judge a restaurant very well by just one visit.  Sometimes they have their bad days.  As you say, why does the place stay open?  Obviously people do like their food. >

That is because you're used to extremely processed food and can't stand actual quality fresh fast food >

Next time you visit SoCal, ya gotta try Tommy's Original.   They have the most amazing chili cheese burgers and chili cheese fries >

There's nothing special about the ingredients. They're made from the same ingredients any other burger joint uses. They don't even have some of the extras that other burger joints have, like bacon or barbecue sauce.
What makes them different is that the ingredients are all fresh - never frozen. This is why they are limited to specific geographical areas. No restaurant can be more than a few hours by truck from a regional distribution center because they get fresh ingredients every day. If they want to add a restaurant farther away then they need to build a new regional distribution center.
Do they taste better than any other burger joint? No, they don't. But they do taste fresher. It's hard to explain, but they are the only burgers I've ever had that actually taste healthy. They don't give me that grease fatigue that I usually get after eating at just about any other burger chain.
The fries are fresh, but they are far from the best fries available. There are two problems with how they make their fries. First, Kennebec potatoes do not make very good fries. They should have used Russet potatoes. Second, the peeled potatoes are sliced right before they go into the fryer. Yes, this does mean they are as fresh as they can possibly be, but that's not necessarily a good thing with fries. If you want fries that are crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside then you have to get rid of some of the natural starch in the potatoes. You can do this by soaking the sliced fries in warm water for 30 minutes, and then thoroughly rinsing and draining them before putting them in the fryer. If you don't do this then the fries will be limp. They try to make up for this by slicing them thinner, but they still aren't the right texture. They're tolerable with a generous amount of ketchup to dip them in. >

I went there probably four times when I lived in LA, desperately trying to understand the appeal. The burgers were okay at best and the fries were awful. Life is too short to eat bad French fries. There are too many places that serve fries that aren't terrible. >

Unless you ordered the fries “well done” and maybe “animal style”, you didn’t really get a true representation of In n Out fries. I don’t quite understand why they even let those limp, undercooked ones out of the drive thru window, but that’s not a mistake locals make, thus, making us love the fries >

You shouldn't have to order them well done or with animal sauce on them.  I like fries naked, if your fries can't stand on their own without help, they suck. >

I agree with you about the quality now but back in the day In n Out Burger really did used to be “that good”. It’s just riding on its laurels now. I don’t know how or why they started sliding downhill except to say that a disappointing number of times they gave me a party that was completely raw in the middle and most of the times the burger is ice cold when I get it. It’s nothing to get excited about now. >

I also noticed a severe decrease in the quality of the beef they use for their patties. The pre COVID patties were legitimately juicy on the inside, crunchy on the outside with delicious flavor that doesn’t require heavy seasoning. Now it tastes like a frozen patty from Aldi that I slapped on the griddle for five minutes and stuffed between a bun and cheese. They are doing a decent job of masking this by being a lot more generous with sauce, condiments, and cheese than they used to be, but as someone who cooks seriously and often, I can definitely tell the difference. >

Oh, for sure. I was just mentioning some things that came to mind but there’s lots wrong. >

Animal style cheeseburger FTW >

I’ll pick In’n out over McDonald’s and I’ll pick Five Guys over In’n out. With that being said fast food burgers are always mediocre. >

The burgers are pretty decent, but the fries suck imo. I don’t understand how fresh cut fries could taste that much like cardboard. Ugh >

They only fry them once at In n Out. French fries should be fried twice at two different temperatures. The first fry (which can even be steaming or blanching in water) at a low temperature to cook the starch. The second fry is hot and fast and generates the color and crispiness. Many (probably most) other restaurants receive frozen fries that have already had the first lower temp cook done, so when they do the last fry step they just have to make them crispy and golden brown. You can make killer fresh cut fries, but not the way they do it. >

The reason I love In’n’Out is the freshness of the ingredients. I’ve had burgers that taste better but when I eat a double double I don’t feel like I consumed a horribly unhealthy meal. Their fries are trash. And I’m an LA native. Anyone who says the fries are good is brainwashed or lying. But the burgers, for the price, are among the best quality ingredients you’re gonna get. Compared to a Whataburger, which is juts a run of the mill regional fast food chain, In’n’Out is gourmet. >

Ya, if you also get a protein burger, which is just a burger without buns it honestly tastes pretty healthy. Just onions peppers, lettuce, tomato and a patty. Makes a meal that is normally 4 to 500 calories into a maybe 300 calorie meal while being filling and tasty. Also doesn't make me feel like shit after I'm done. >

I actually prefer it protein style. >

Personally my favorite is one protein one not, so I get 2 burgers but don't feel as bad. Try it with raw and grilled onions with peppers in the burger. That's prolly my favorite combination. >

Idk how they get away with those fries but the burgers aren’t bad. A wee bit over rated tho >

In n Out is pure genius. They have a ridiculously limited menu which helps them maintain quality. They don't build locations where they can't get fresh ingredients within a day. They have a giant window where you can observe the employees making your food at every stage. They pay their employees well. Plus there is a "secret menu" which adds to the appeal.
I don't think you can do this anymore but back in the day, my friend ordered a 10x10. They had to put it in a box on its side and he ate the whole thing. What a champion.
Anyway In n Out is great.
Order your fries well done and stop complaining.
Also. If there is a long line for the drive through, get your lazy ass out of the car and go inside for a to-go order. It's not always guaranteed to be the most efficient, but at least you can drink a soda and look at your phone while you wait. >

Lies and slander 😂 >

Agree about the fries. They are awful. Burger is pretty good.. >

The burgers are like 1mm thick. They suck. >

I grew up in a small-ish city. For years and years I heard about how good In and Out was. 20 years of my life and I didn’t try it a single time. I left the country for a while and when i came back, they had built an In and Out in my city. Lines stretched out the parking lot and into the streets. 
Curiosity got the better of me so I decided to come early in the day in the middle of a week day to try it. I waited 30 minutes in line just to order and another 10-ish minutes waiting for the order. Finally I got my burger and fries. And….it was the most average burger. Fries were not great either. Disappointing.
Friends from abroad had asked me many times how it was. They had friends who brought them t-shirts that had In and Out on it. Turns out, nearly every other burger joint I had been to had better burgers. >

I think it’s more nostalgia and novelty more than actual quality. Most people from cali would die by it but when I went to try it (not from CA) I also thought it was mediocre at best >

I love in n out but animal style is loaded fatty crap is the only thing I'd say about the place. >

The parent comment made by Humanfgh looks like it was made by a copycat bot. The original comment is here.
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^(🤖 Beep boop. This message was written by a bot.) ^Why? ^🤖 >

It stays open because people interpret tastes differently and that cant be explained, crazy right? I love In-n-out you dont, you cant argue your bodys responses to food. Im not sure what more youre looking for here. >

You have to get the burger animal style, plus you can't beat their fresh food as opposed to the frozen stuff other chains give out >

100% facts. It's a mediocre establishment with a cult following. 
It's crazy the lies people say about it. It's not gourmet, it's not the best fast food, it's not better than Whataburger or Culvers. 
Innout sucks >

I'm from the UK and I love In N Out to the extent that I will plan holidays to the US around visiting. Their burgers are by far the best I've ever tasted (apart from a discontinued burger called the spicy beanburger that we used to get at Burger King in the UK). So fresh and filled with flavour. I don't care for their fries, though. >


Their burgers are by far the best I've ever tasted 

I've eaten burgers on ~~four~~ three continents and this is some of the saddest shit I've ever read. >

Most people don’t know and may never know what actual good/gourmet food tastes like. Shits expensive. >

Fries are maybe the worst I've ever had. They're edible if you get them well done.
I also hate the whole secret menu thing. Like if I need to know secret codes to make my food good then your restaurant sucks. >

The secret menu is what made it famous and if you order them plain then complain then its your own fault >

Yeah I think that's a silly way to get famous. Make better fries, the burgers are fine but nothing that speical. I'm not complaining I was just supporting the OPs opinion. >

I’m a CA native and I agree it’s disgusting. Literally the best thing about it is the one just at the end of the runway at LAX. Get a shitty burger and horrible fries and watch big plans land. Otherwise it’s some weird SoCal claim to idiot fame that knuckle draggers from around the country bought into and think it’s a must-see place. I appreciate that it’s always clean, though. And the staff are friendly. But the food is total shit. >

It was a lot better before the plane crashed. >

There is good In N Out and bad In N Out.
If they all did exactly as they are supposed to, you would never have a bad experience.
Burgers and fries are to be cooked fresh when you place your order. >

I agree. It's "ok" at best and nowhere near as good as Carl's Jr. It's better than McDonald's but that's where it stops >

It's good for what it is.  Nothing spectacular, but good and I've found it to be one of the most consistent chains around.
The problem is the way some people rave about it.  No fast food burger could ever live up to that amount of hype.  The first time I had it, it had been built up by my girlfriend to be the second coming.  In truth, I've had just as good a burger at a Wendy's.  On the other hand, I've had much worse burgers at a Wendy's as well.
On the other hand 5 Guy's is also super overrated and not consistent at all.  I've had good burgers and fries there, but never spectacular.  I've also had some of the worst burgers and fries there as well.  More often than not, the fries suck and the burgers are too greasy. >

I can tell y'all haven't made homemade fries before because in n out fries are as natural as fries can get >

I make home made fries and they taste way better than in n out, even when they get cold after 30 minutes, my fries are still solid.  I have no idea why In n out fries are so trash.  Fans always excuse their shittiness ' because 'they're fresh cut fries,' but I've had fresh cut fries at other burger joints, and the've all been delicious.  In n Out isn't a special snowflake that is the only spot to do fresh cut fries, so why are they so bad? >

Because they can't change how they make fries.
The owners have a stranglehold on the restaurant and refuse to make any changes, so things like "make decent fries" is not possible >

Their meat tastes strange to me. Not sure what the hype is about same with Chick a Fil or Popeyes. >

I'm a 5th generation Californian and I'm with you all the way. Don't know how In-N-Out got so hyped. Give me Fatburger any day. >

It's delicious. The fries are ass >

Agreed, ate at 2 n 2 different locations and got sick both times. Five guys is much better. >

It’s because good meat’s already expensive as shit and then you tack on everything CA tacks on and good luck getting any profit minded restaurant owner to buy anything better than USDA select goyslop that doesn’t even resemble the cow it came from. Then since its shit meat anyways they don’t even try to doctor it up. >

I love in n out but animal style is loaded fatty crap is the only thing I'd say about the place. The fake cheese is also what I never recommend. It's honestly best having double double no cheese with grilled and whole onions. >

In order baseline this opinion, what do you consider to be the best burger (that you can buy at a burger joint) to be? >

You gotta order right for In N Out. You gotta get the fries well done and animal style, and you gotta get the burger animal style and with chopped chilis >

It’s terrible, but most people don’t even know what good tastes like. Restaurants like this cater to that palate while serving up insanely marketable flashy ubiquitous brand logos and colors to make it feel like a cultural institution. Eating at in n out is less about the food and more about eating at in n out.
I personally think that even Del Taco does a better burger. >

This is similar to how I feel about 5 Guys.  Its a burger, its fine, but there is nothing stand out about it. >

Same. I went to see a friend in Arizona and though, hey, I’ll try In and Out while I’m here. I found it be powerfully mediocre. >

I’m so glad someone finally said it >

Notice how people who L O V E  In N’ Out have never tasted Whataburger? 
That should answer any questions… >

I wouldn't say In n Out has the best burgers ever, but they are better than MCD's or Burger King. Wendy's is a close tie but In n Out is cheaper here so I go there sometimes.
The only downside is the massive fucking line every god damn time I go there. >

I didn’t understand the appeal, until I started asking for the fries to be cooked more. >

Agreed. We have none here in Toronto and on our way to Vegas, all my friend did was hype them up to no end. Spent 30min walking from our hotel to get there and the burger was so bland and just honestly one of the worst fast food burgers I've had. I was in Vegas for my 1st time, cheeping out on food wasn't even a concern, not sure why my friend overhyped them so much. I got even angrier at him when the next day we went to Shake Shack across the street from our hotel. Now those burgers were bomb. >

I think it’s overrated - people act smug because it’s mostly exclusive to the west coast and their French fries turn into cold cardboard shit if you don’t eat them in 5 minutes >

The fries are so fresh they cut them from the potatoes in front of you what kind of crack you been smoking my guy. And the burgers are more flavorful than any other fast food place. (Small burger joints not included) >

Why the fuck are you going to a football game in LA?