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In the spirit of @jwswj’s post about what it must be like to see the collective Photo Stream of all iOS users, here’s what I imagine the Siri “operation room” to sound like:

YouTube - Superman Listening to Everything

Could you imagine? Listening to all of those Siri questions coming in from around the globe… granted, many of them might be dumb jokes, but there’s got to be somebody listening to all of these recordings, analyzing them in aggregate, and using this to improve the service.

What would that room sound like?

What would their analysis tools look like?

The secret highlight, the real reason for any great Californian roadtrip is that it’s a chance to indulge in a local delicacy: In-N-Out. There are all kinds of mystery and myth around the company, but I’d like to posit one more great thing about the place: they have the world’s best-designed menu. If you’re a new customer, you only have to answer one simple, obvious question:

“How hungry are you?”

All of the menu items are the same: they’re burgers, with different quantities of meat and cheese. That’s it. There’s no mystery to it. If you are new to the In-N-Out experience, there’s no time lost staring at a big menu, and worrying that you’re going to pick a bad menu item.

There’s only one menu item. You can’t make a bad choice here.

For “advanced users”, of course, there is the secret menu: the culinary equivalent of a keyboard shortcut, a way to try out varieties on the classic. Add some sauce, order a grilled cheese, get your fries done extra-crispy; it’s all up to you.

But if you’re a new customer, you’ll walk away feeling like you got to try California’s classic burger; you only had one choice to make, and it was easy. You’ve now experienced the tradition of In-N-Out, and it was painless. You feel like you know it well.

For those repeat customers, they feel just a bit clever. And once you find out about the secret menu, you’re that much more inspired to come back.

In-N-Out. Famous for their burgers, (although nothing beats Dick’s Drive In in Seattle!) but also home to the world’s best menu design.

(Image: Flickr)