This Is The Best Thing To Order At In-N-Out (And Other Secrets About The Fast Food Chain)
In-N-Out Burger has maintained high-quality standards since the first restaurant opened and began serving customers in California in 1948. Restaurant owners have chosen to keep the burger chain private, forgoing franchise opportunities to make their menu items and customer experience the absolute best.
Even loyal customers of In-N-Out Burger might not know all of its history and menu hacks to tap into – we're dishing them up here!
The Truth About The Animal Style Burger
The restaurant did not come up with that idea. Requests from diners are the real reason the burger came into existence. Seems like it must have taken a certain amount of requests to finally get that idea added to the secret menu.
It came around in 1961 and the burger game was changed forever. It was cool for the chain to take the requests from its customers; It's one thing to listen but it is another to actually do what they were being asked to do. If you live in California, then there is a high chance you have had an animal-style burger.
Did Someone Say Medium Rare?
When you go to an actual sit down and eat restaurant and order a burger, you have options on how you want that burger made. The waiter or waitress usually asks how you would like that cooked, and per usual, you say medium rare. You cannot do that at Burger King or Wendy's.
Lucky for you, In-N-Out has that option. They may not ask you, but if you tell them while you order, you are sure to get the type of burger you want. The medium rare has a pinkish hue to it. The only state where you can't do this is Nevada.
You Must Go to University
In 1984, In-N-Out established its own “university,” which, of course, started to train service staff and managers to be the very best at what they do and maintain consistent quality. Bloomberg reports that around 80 percent of managers came through the university ranks and later became career team members.
According to Reddit poster dravila9, it is possible to rise to assistant manager or even manager positions without getting an actual college degree or even having previous management experience. The company would probably ask you to go to their own university, however. Still, it sounds like a pretty great deal to us!
Famous Fries
And of course, you can order the famous animal-style fries, which have melted cheese, plus grilled onions, and the famous secret spread used on the burgers. There are also a number of alterations for this customer favorite.
You can also order lemon fries, which you can make yourself by grabbing a lemon wedge (next to the iced tea) and squeezing it on your fries. Alright, surely there are many more ways to dream up having your fries made now that we’ve gotten started, but this is a pretty amazing start. Excuse us while we salivate, but this definitely has us wanting to go grab some fries. Who else is craving some?!
Amazing Benefits and Lowest Turnover Rates
According to an employee in Austin, employees really enjoy working at In-N-Out. The anonymous tipster submitted this comment to Glassdoor, “The benefits are amazing. I work part-time and have the option of dental, vision, and life insurance as well as paid vacation time.” Wow! There are pretty much no other places of work, much less fast food restaurants, that offer such amazing benefits, especially for only part-time workers.
The amazing way they treat their workers obviously accounts for the fact that In-N-Out has repeatedly been named as the fast food restaurant with the lowest turnover rates. Managers reportedly stay there an average of 14 years. Even better, college students who have worked at the chain report that In-N-Out was very accommodating of their studies allowing them to shift their schedules to fit their class schedules. In-N-Out certainly sounds like an amazing place to work.
Popular Location Means Wealthy Manager
We've already revealed how well employees are treated, but let's dive a little deeper into that subject. A busy store can mean a big year for managers. If you are working at a location you know gets tons of traffic, then it might be in your best interest to grind so you can become a manager, and here is why:
"There are store managers who have busy stores who make more than a quarter of a million dollars a year," said Kathy, a manager, in an interview with Thrillist. "I knew a store manager who made $350,000." That much money to manage a fast-food place is nuts!
Managers Get Exclusives
By now you know that being a manager at In-N-Out comes with great perks, but there is something else that managers get that we have not mentioned yet. On top of the immense potential earnings, you have a shot at seeing the world for free! In-N-Out seems like the place to be.
"My store manager went on an all-expenses-paid trip by In-N-Out to Germany," she said. "He stayed at a five-star hotel. And he said that he realized that if he worked all of his life, he probably could never afford something like this on his own."
Revolutionized The Game
While Harry Snyder was out picking up fresh ingredients, Esther Snyder was in charge of accounting when In-N-Out first opened. The chain is marked as the first one to have a two-way speaker for drive-thru capabilities. In a Steve Jobs manner, Harry came up with the intercom idea so you can really get in and out.
Before 1948 when this came about, there were drive-ins where carhops completed your order and took your food to you. That is similar to how Sonic does it today. Clearly, this was a revolutionary idea to implement, so kudos to Harry.
Scandalous Burger Heiress
Lynsi Snyder is also notoriously private, although some information has seeped throughout the internet in recent years. She is in her forties and has been married four times and is the mother of four children. She was first married to Jeremiah Seawell, her high school sweetheart.
Then came Richard Martinez, a former In-N-Out employee; the two had fraternal twins together, a boy and girl named Ella Jade and Silas Diego. Then she married Val Torres, Jr., a race car driver, and they had one son together named Valentino Guy. Her most recent husband is Sean Ellingson, whom she married in 2014. He was also a former In-N-Out employee, and they have one son together named Layne.
The Tastiest Secret Menu Burger!
Of course, everyone loves the original burger options at In-N-Out. You can get the burger, cheeseburger, or double. If you know about the secret menu then you can have some fun with your burger. Well, Kathy revealed which burger is not on the menu that is the best one to eat.
"The best burger I've eaten (that I never would've thought to make myself) is a Double-Single," Kathy said. "It's two burger patties, one slice of cheese, chopped chilies, chopped onions, and one tomato slice. The bun gets a spiral of mustard and a squeeze of lemon juice."
Going Crazy in the Kitchen
According to a user on Reddit with the screen name dravila9, sometimes employees get a little bit creative and make up their own recipes to try out their ideas. He said, “I've made donuts, putting the buns in the fryers with syrup from the shakes, coring out a potato, frying it, and filling it with chopped meat patties, melted cheese, onions, chilies, and grilled tomatoes. Too good.”
Hmm, that does sound pretty delicious, and we wonder if In-N-Out will ever allow any of its employees' recipes to get on their menu or, at the very least, the not-so-secret menu.
It's A Great Place To Work
The Snyder family, the founders of In-N-Out, always make it the utmost point to treat their employees with respect and hold them in high esteem. The chain also refers to them as 'associates', to give them a feeling of ownership for the restaurant.
Reportedly, the benefits package is also very generous, especially when compared to the offerings of other fast food chain employers.
You Are Videotaped
While the founder’s son Rich Snyder was the one running the company he realized that employees learned better from their mistakes when they could see what they were doing wrong. And thus, he introduced big brother. Just kidding…kind of. He actually introduced the method of videotaping his new trainees, and he used the footage to analyze their performances and techniques.
From there he created training videos for new employees based on the analysis he created. Wow, are we sure Rich wasn’t an analytics major? Sounds like he would fit right in as he kind of conducted his own study on his employees.
In-N-Out Hits The Las Vegas Strip
Many believe it was long overdue, but in December of 2017, an In-N-Out restaurant was opened right on the Las Vegas strip. Located at the Linq Promenade, the In-N-Out is open until 1 a.m. for anyone searching for a burger after dancing, or seeing a show.
The location is an expansive 5,023 square feet. So don't worry about packing into a small store to get your fix. The best part about it? The prices stay the same! So while others are buying that surf and turf at Vegas pricing, you can scarf down a meal for $10.
Seven Different Ways to Order Your Fries
According to employees, there are actually seven different ways to order your fries. Wow! For such a small menu that is certainly amazing. You can order fries well-done which are extra crispy fries. You can order fries light well which are a slightly more done than regular fries, but not all the way crispy like the well-done.
You can order fries lite, which have not been cooked as long as the others. You can order fries no-salt which are exactly what they sound like. You can order cheese fries which have two slices of melted cheese on top of them.
There Are No Leftovers
Everything is made to order, which means there are never any leftovers for employees to take home. Associates say that every now and then there is produce to take home, as the store only works with fresh produce so anything from the day before would be thrown out anyway.
After hearing so many horror stories about fast food restaurants, not to mention the countless articles about employees doing disgusting things in the back while preparing food, this is definitely a breath of fresh air in the fast food world. Not to mention, knowing that everything is fresh makes you want to eat there even more.
In-N-Out Will Not Franchise
According to the founder’s granddaughter, Lynsi Snyder, In-N-Out will never franchise. She told the OC Register, “We’re definitely not franchising, and we’re not going to sell. So don’t expect mass expansion of In-N-Out anytime soon." They reportedly do this to maintain tight control over all the stores' operations. Lynsi continued, "Our focus (is) on quality. I think the customers really respect that.”
It’s also thought that if In-N-Out expanded too rapidly it would lose some of its attractiveness to customers as a special kind of fast food joint. Lynsi continued, "We're not changing things like many other companies do. That's kept us unique; it's kept the customers feeling like we're not a sellout."
When In-N-Out Gives You Lemons...
If you have ever noticed in the condiment section they have lemon wedges. What these lemon wedges are used for is entirely up to you but there is one method that can certainly quench your thirst. Many people pass on buying a drink and go straight for a water cup, well next time this is what you should do.
On top of lemons being there, you can also find sugar. Now you have all the ingredients to make some fresh lemonade! Tell your friends, tell your wife, tell anybody so they don't have to waste money on a fountain drink anymore.
The Food Really Is Fresh
According to a former employee of In-N-Out turned journalist named Courtney, working at In-N-Out didn’t turn her off of fast food forever. In fact, she ate there every day. One reason is the food is always fresh. The vegetables are all prepared in the kitchen. The potatoes are peeled and sliced, the tomatoes are sliced hourly, lettuce is constantly being chopped, and the meat is never frozen.
It is also said that damaged produce like dark or wilted lettuce and bruised tomatoes are thrown out. Wow, talk about attention to detail. They also locally source their ingredients in order to maintain the freshness. There are even any freezers or microwaves located in the restaurants, which is a pretty amazing feat in this day and age.
Famous Chef Loves In-N-Out
Allegedly the uber famous late chef Julia Child was a massive In-N-Out fan, and she even carried around a list of restaurant addresses in her purse. This is kind of amazing as she specialized in French cuisine. Clearly, no one can withstand the power of an In-N-Out burger.
Allegedly, she had her assistant go grab her some cheeseburgers while in the hospital recovering from knee surgery. It would have been amazing to see Julia Child do her own take on an Animal Style burger while cooking on her show. Actually, now that we think of it, we will probably see Bobby Flay do something like this at some point if he hasn’t already.
In-N-Out Loves Drag Racing
Apparently, the majority of the Snyder family loved drag racing. Founder of In-N-Out Harry Snyder had a fifty percent investment in developing a race track back in 1965. He also sold his burgers at the concession stand of course. This obviously trickled down to his granddaughter and current In-N-Out president Lynsi Snyder’s who was at one time married to race car driver, and has also been spotted regularly at the track. In-N-Out has become somewhat of a fixture on the drag racing scene.
Lynsi has even competed herself, including in the Super Gas and Top Sportsman Division 7 categories, according to the National Hot Rod Association. Lynsi reportedly told CBS, "I like an adrenaline rush. My dad (her late father Guy Snyder) took me to the racetrack for the first time when I was 2 or 3. Anything with a motor, that was in my blood." Lynsi has also said that she has taken mechanic classes and even works under the hood of her own vehicles. In-N-Out also had their own car, sponsoring drag racer Melanie Troxel in 2010.
Secret Item For Each Location
The secret menu is almost known by everyone now, but there is a bigger secret that customers do not know about. For each specific location, there is a secret item that only employees get to enjoy! Why don't they share the goodness with everyone? The possibilities are endless for what they can be cooking up there.
"Every store has their own secret item that only the associates know how to make," Kathy said. "Some stores will cut potatoes long ways and will make [fancy French fries] called mojos." Others finely dice tomatoes, onions, and chilies, and top their burgers with the improvised salsa, she revealed.
Inside Man
Like the case with many other establishments, a great way to get hired somewhere is if you get referred by someone who already is employed at the job. In-N-Out is no different in that department. Now if you want to make your way your up so you can reel in that big payday for management positions and you don't already work there, you better go get to know someone!
"They have a program called Multiplying Winners," Kathy said. "If you refer someone who gets hired, you get paid." She also said that plenty of siblings work together.
Paris Blamed the Burger
Maybe it was a secret to Paris Hilton how good In-N-Out burgers until she had her first one. Once she got the experience of the succulent burger on her taste buds, she had to get more. At least, that is what we are assuming what happened because she was ready to risk it all for one.
One night she was pulled over while she was on her way to get some In-N-Out. She was arrested for drunk driving. She told Ryan Seacrest that she was driving "a little fast" because she "just wanted some In-N-Out". Secrets out of the bag, In-N-Out can get you arrested.
That Arrow Was Not Always There
That huge yellow arrow was not always a staple of In-N-Out. The sign used to say "No Delay" all way up until 1954. That means before 1954, the burger lovers didn't get to enjoy the iconic arrow that we of the modern time have come to love.
Whenever one sees that huge arrow in the sky when they are on the freeway its almost like euphoria runs through the body even if you are not going to get any food. Californians relate the symbol happiness because those burgers are known to make you happy. Just like kids love seeing that big M for McDonald's.
That's What A Hamburgers All About!
For those of you reading this and do not reside in an area that is home to In-N-Out, then we are sorry. This article probably did not make things better for you. The silver lining is, next time you are on a road trip you might want to swing by a state that has an In-N-Out.
Just by looking at the picture above you can tell that these burgers are no joke. People wait in immense lines just to have the chance to have one of the greatest burgers on the west coast. With all the combinations you just learned about there should be many trips to In-N-Out in your future.
Their Secret Menu Is No-So-Secret
At In-N-Out, there is a somewhat famed secret menu. Some regulars know about it and others have never heard of it. Well technically there’s a not-so-secret menu which you can even find on their website, and there is an actual super secret menu of other interesting orders and side orders.
Some items on the not so secret menu include double meat, the 3x3 meaning three patties of meat and three slices of cheese, and a 4x4. The super secret menu includes a root beer float, yellow chilies on any part of your order, and bun doughnuts. Wow, that sounds amazing and delicious. Who’s hungry?
Cocoa Had Previously Been On The Menu
Even the most diehard followers of In-N-Out may not have known that cocoa had previously been on the limited menu. Back in the 1960s, hot cocoa at In-N-Out cost just 15 cents. Snyder said, “For a certain generation, hot cocoa is an In-N-Out classic, and we hope it will be a favorite of a new generation. It’s quality cocoa from Ghirardelli, and yes, we serve it with marshmallows!”
In the image above, you can see that hot chocolate is listed at the bottom of the menu for 15 cents, along with milk and lemonade.
In-N-Out Heirs Worked in the Back
The Snyders, Harry and Esther, were definitely very serious about keeping their family humble even amongst their tremendous success. They made their sons, Guy and Rich, do work like everyone else at starting at the company. They believed that placing them doing entry-level work would prevent them from being spoiled.
Guy’s daughter Lynsi, who is now the owner of the entire company, also had her first job working in the kitchen. Orange Coast Magazine reported, “She started out like everyone else in prep work, coring tomatoes, peeling potatoes, and slicing onions. 'Of course, I would cry every time,' she laughed. 'I was really excited to work there, because it was the family business. It was fun, and I thought it would make my dad happy.'” After her father’s death, she is now the sole owner of the company, which she inherited at age 24.
The Reason For The Palm Trees
If you live near an In-N-Out chain you might have noticed the palm trees out front. This isn’t just because the restaurant originated in California but they were actually placed there for a reason. Founder Harry Snyder started the crossed palm tree look back in 1972.
He actually got the idea from a film called It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. In the film, the characters look for buried treasure beneath crossed palm trees. The film was made in 1963 and starred a bunch of Hollywood heavyweights (at the time, anyway) like Spencer Tracy, Mickey Rooney, and Milton Berle.
Lynsi Snyder On The Same Level As Zuckerberg, Tops Google In Workplace Ratings
Lynsi Snyder has elevated herself to become a notable CEO. In fact, FierceCEO has compared her to Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, Rich Lesser, former CEO of Boston Consulting, and Bob Bechek, former CEO of Bain.
Why? All five of these CEOs, including Snyder, have top approval ratings for providing a great workplace for their employees. Snyder's company even topped Google, with a 96% approval rating. Snyder's grandparents and father would be so proud of where she's taken the family business.
Australia Opens Pop-Up Imitation Restaurant
Australians who have traveled to California and tasted the delicious burgers of In-N-Out are having serious FOMO (fear of missing out) without a single location on their entire continent. A pop-up restaurant appeared at the Sir John Young Hotel in Sydney, where the staff of Hashtag Burgers did their best to impersonate the famous In-N-Out menu items. They called it "Down-N-Out" and the shop held its location outside of a laid-back pub for two weeks.
However, it couldn't be and was never the same. The burgers were bigger, and their secret menu was different. Not to mention, they were charging the US equivalent of $7.44 for the standard burger. Nice try, guys.
Gordon Ramsay's In-N-Out Confession
One of the most well-known top chefs in the world, Chef Gordon Ramsay speaks his mind. So what were his thoughts on In-N-Out? Surprising. Ramsay stated, "People think Americans are obese and burgers are bad for them – they are delicious. In-N-Out burgers were extraordinary."
The MasterChef host then went on to confess just how great he thinks the burgers are. "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."
Food Network Host Says In-N-Out Is The Only Fast Food She Eats
Chefs, fitness trainers- there are a few types of people you would expect to stay away from fast food. And that's the case for Food Network Host Ina Garten. That is, with one exception: In-N-Out Burger. The TV host of Barefoot Contessa, (and a former staff member of the White House!) told Today, "I have to say, I don't eat fast food at all, with one exception. When we're in California doing book tours, we always have to go to In-N-Out Burger."
Who can blame her? You can begin to smell the delicious burgers wafting through the air before you even get off the interstate. The In-N-Out sign and the trademark palm trees beckon you to stop by and get a bite.
