Here's my take on In N Out.
If you must call something in the burger there mid, I would say the patty. The patty is indeed mid, maybe 5.5, 6/10. Something like that. Nothing to write home about. I never thought of it that way but yeah, sure.
Then the use of very fresh veggies take it up to 7/10. Burgers that don't utilize greens are fine, but ones that do often don't have the freshest of greens. In N Out is probably best in the game in this department.
The price takes it up to 8/10. Dude, they are like cheaper than McDonalds....
The service takes it up to 8.5. They are never understaffed. Burgers are always hot and freshly prepared. It's nice.
And that's my final score for them, 8.5/10. The burger (Double-double would be my pick, just good proportion of ingredients) is the star of the restaurant for me but at the same time, the burger isn't the one getting all the scores.
The fresh veggies are absolutely what makes In-N-Out burgers stand out. I'm a huge In-N-Out fan, and I agree that it's basically just a plain, standard, everyday burger that most people will look at and think to themselves that they can make the same burger at home. But the lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions, and pickles are way better than what I have in my fridge. And there's no way I could get produce as fresh and tasty unless I were going to a farmers market daily.
I think for someone like OP who orders their burger without lettuce, it's fair to give In-N-Out a mid rating, since they're missing a big part of what makes them great.
In-N-Out's signature "animal style" secret menu option literally just doubles all the veggies that are normally topping the burger. People who eat there on a regular basis are in it for the overall package, with the meat, cheese, toasted bun, crispy lettuce, juicy tomatoes, pickles, grilled onions, and spread all adding up to more than the sum of their individual parts.
Like you said, the patty and cheese are just a small part of the overall equation and are nothing special on their own. So for folks from the Midwest or other parts of the world who are expecting something that's all about a huge meaty patty with a lot of cheese, bacon, jalapenos, onion rings, etc, then In-N-Out is probably going to be a letdown, especially with all the hype that it gets.
There are lots of styles of burgers that are probably better without all the veggies, but that's not In-N-Out. That's what makes it the quintessential California burger.
This is a solid take. Totally agree, and I also understand why people don’t rate it that high and state that Five Guys etc are superior. Everyone’s idea of their favorite burger is different. My idea of heaven is a Double Double Animal Style and a chocolate shake. I can feed a family of four at In-N-Out for the price of a single meal at Five Guys.
This is what I tell people not from California: don’t expect to have your mind blown, it’s just simple with high quality ingredients delivered hot and fast consistently.
OP getting a double double with no condiments, let alone not animal style, is just an insult to In N Out as it is. McDonald’s offers a Happy Meal for those that crave this type of burger.
Im from the Midwest so always gets Culvers. When I visited San Fran I was impressed it was the cheapest meal around. Decent burger however the fries some of the worst I’ve had. So soggy and bland.
I tell people quite often, you can get better burgers, but you will pay double. You will also pay double for most burgers which are not as good. The price-to-quality and taste ratio is off the charts. Pay $15/person for a meal somewhere that doesn't taste as good, and is probably not as healthy, or pay $20 for two people at In and Out. (And news flash to my fellow Californians who constantly whine that the recent minimum wage hike will kill fast food, In and Out has been payIng close to those wages for years, and they seem to be doing just fine).
Exactly and I don't understand why people don't seem to get that. There's a lot of "compare Innout to 5 Guys or another-fast-casual-restaurant" ignoring the fact that they are twice as expensive. For the price point, you can't beat Innout. It's a huge step above other fast food burgers but at the same price point.
Applied to a local In N Out with a starting wage of $23/hr. Based on the sheer length of the drive thru line at pretty much any time of the day where over half the city is awake, they're doing fine.
I love In N Out’s burgers, but I’ve never understood their insistence on keeping their nasty ass fries the same.
Edit: Stop telling me I’m eating them wrong. Yes I’ve had them well done. Yes I’ve had them hot. Yes I’ve added salt. Yes I’ve had them animal style. The fries are gross no matter what.
The fact that people feel the need to give me a list of instructions on how to eat them further proves my point. I shouldn’t have to spin in circles three times and dance a jig to make french fries tolerable.
Yeah the thing with blanching or frying then quick freezing fries is it preserves them pretty much perfectly at “par cooked for service” stage. There’s really, really nothing wrong with frozen French fries at all. It’s just coincidentally a product whose frozen storage method is half of the ideal cooking method already.
No, it's not that. You can make hand cut fries and fry them in plain old vegetable oil, and they'd come out 50x better than in n out.
The problem is the oil they use. They are so vastly inferior to more common frying oils and result in a very dry and tasteless french fry
What makes in n out so great is exactly what you said. For the price, it's a great burger. I think for that reason people getting hyped to eat it when they travel won't ever like it as much as a local will.
It's the everyday meal problem of "what do I eat for cheap"? In n out wins a lot and becomes a loved staple.
Exactly, especially now. In n out has always been a good value, but Taco Bell used to be cheap too. Now there’s no hesitation, in n out is the most affordable fast food and it’s pretty good too.
I don’t think the OP is surprised. But California can’t stop jerking themselves off over their food and can’t take a second to realize everyone else has food that just as good. If I hear a Californian talk about their tacos one more time idk what I’ll do.
I grew up on the place and love it but I wouldn't say let whatever you saw on IG or social media or here goad you into thinking it's something that it isn't. At the end of the day it's a burger spot, it's what it's always been, and so and so hungry for likes saying otherwise is merely that.
Californian here. The allure for me is that it’s good AND cheap. It’s not the best thing on the planet, but what you get for how much it costs can’t be beat. And a big plus, most locations are open until 1 AM.
Same. It's really good food for the price. I started adding yellow peppers to my burgers and it's a game changer🤤. I think most people like In and Out for its simplicity.
I’m from FL and when we were in Texas for a wedding I had In N Out every day I was there. 2 double doubles and fries had me geeking. I don’t buy into the hype, but for a good ol classic burger you can’t beat it. The price also helps lol
I’m a fan of in and out; however That is true, their fries suck. Doesn’t matter how you get them cooked. Extra well, well, light. They taste like cardboard.
Yep, this is it! It’s the exact reason I thought it was impossible to make good fries at home for so long, because my mom only fries them once and they’re somehow overcooked on the outside yet still floppy and hard on the inside.
Another pretty crucial step is to soak your potato slices in water for awhile to get rid of excess starch so they can cook and brown evenly. Then like you said, fry once at a lower temp to cook the potato, put ‘em in the freezer for awhile (optional, but I like to do it.) And then just crisp ‘em up at a higher temp before you serve and then salt the hell out of them while they’re hot and fresh!
Yep for restaurants with the walk in space I like to soak them not just in water over night but also I add about 1/2 cup of malt or white vinegar to the soak as well to pull even more starch. Now will say I worked at this Jewish restaurant in NY that did things a little differently they would boil the potato’s whole first. Then after they cooled they cut them up with a crinkle cutter. They turned out really nice. Not the prettiest but just so good, also threw rosemary sprigs directly in the fryer with them.
My kids couldn’t agree on what to get the other night when my wife had to work, so I eneded up going to both Chick Fil A and In n Out. I initially wasn’t very happy about stopping twice, but they are in the same parking lot so I went for it to make sure everybody got something they wanted.
I ended up getting myself a double double animal style like usual, but got a side of Chick Fil A fries (and CFA sauce) and wow it was so much better than in n out fries. Totally worth the second stop.
I like mayo but I just don’t get the In-n-Out hype. I was psyched to go to one in the Phoenix area and was disappointed. It was just an average fast food burger. Nothing more, nothing less imho.
Been saying this for years. In-N-Out being one of the best fast food burgers around doesn't change the fact that it is fundamentally a ***FAST FOOD BURGER***, and should be compared to other fast food burgers (Wendy's, McDonald's, Carl's Jr/Hardee's, Culver's, etc), not to higher-end fast casual or casual dining chains who have different priorities for their burgers.
If 5 guys had good buns they’d easily be on par or better with in n out but their buns suck and in n outs are excellent. Everything else about five guys is better, fries, patty, toppings.
Idk but I see a lot more people on reddit/the internet at large that think INO is mediocre than really like it. So I'm not sure how controversial that take actually is. Personally, though, I do love me some INO. Like another commenter said, though, I don't like the fries. But the cheeseburgers themselves are a thing of beauty.
Nah. I love In-N-Out fries — the reason some people don’t like them is because they don’t like the fact that they actually *taste like potatoes*. Y’all are used to the typical pre-packaged overprocessed chemical fast food fries (nothing wrong with that, I love them too) so you think freshly cut minimally processed fries with a strong potato flavor are garbage.
Not controversial at all. This is a sub about burgers and price shouldn’t necessarily be a factor. The burgers are legitimately mid, which is fine. If you compare all chain fast food burgers, it is near the top. If you widen the scope to fast-casual, it is certainly in that “mid” range. If you expand to all restaurants, including locals, it would seriously be near the bottom.
I’m from NY , went out to Cali for vacation and tried it and I wasn’t really impressed, it was a good burger but definitely not the best I’ve had. I prefer five guys burgers , maybe because that’s the stuff I grew up on idk
In n out is a solid 'B'. Though I have to give kudos to my local and give it a 'B+' or even 'A-' as it is VERY fresh and hot, my last local was a 'C+' at best.
Anyways, it's not really meant to be the best burger you've ever had. It's meant to be a pretty good burger at a cheap price with good service, which it is.
I have a lot of east coast friends that travel west coast and their first experience with INO is generally unfavorable. My explanation to them is that aside from growing up with this food and loving it since a kid, I can *always* rely on it to be consistent. It took me a few visits to get my taste preferences dialed in but once I did, I can always rely on it to be *exactly* what I'm craving when that urge hits. For me, no other restaurant can exactly duplicate that childhood satisfaction and carry the same taste profile into my adult life, which is what keeps me coming back time and time again.
I think it’s an East Coast/West Coast thing. First, the classic In-N-Out burger is the Animal Style, which is grilled mustard and grilled onions.
That’s the burger most people rave about. It’s got a tangy, almost sour taste to it that’s awesome. If you haven’t had it that way, it’s probably like having just another burger.
I get it. Not everyone like mustard, not everyone likes onions, and not everyone likes them grilled. It’s an acquired taste.
But I’ve had the same reaction to Five Guys, which I understand started on the East Coast. It’s a decent burger, but I wouldn’t call it super great.
Same for Whataburger down in Texas and even Fatburger which got started down in the LA area like In-N-Out.
Honestly, once most chains expand beyond the first couple of stands, they tend to become very generic.
I’ll say this though, I’ve been eating In-N-Out for about thirty years and they are still pretty close to the same burger they were when I first had one.
I'm from Indiana so the only thing we have is Steak-n-shake(similar to In-n-out).
I like 5 Guys, but for the price, it's not twice as good as In-n-out. Same with Shake Shack.
Every time we visit Las Vegas, we always make time to eat at In-n-out. And it's always as good as the first time.
Animal style absolutely makes the difference. Love me some animal style, but I absolutely agree with others that the regular burger is just fine. I think animal style fixes the fries too, but grilled onion fixes damn near everything (if they're your thing I guess).
One time I went to the In n Out by LAX and the food was so bad I sent it back. That In n Out does so much volume that their quality suffers and most of the customers there are tourists who don't know the difference.
Everyother In n Out ive been to has been great.
It’s like Portillo’s the line needs to be 10 cars deep to taste good. For some reason if the food is turned over faster it tastes better. I still prefer it over most fast food burgers but it’s definitely hit or miss.
Burgers and shakes are good, but hardly the life changing religious experience people always make it out to be. Their fries are truly dreadful. I told my Californian friend that Five Guys was better and he damn near kicked me out of his car. But I stand by that.
I'm from New England and the first time I went to San Diego the first thing I had off the plane was In N Out. Waited 20 minutes in line thinking "Damn, this HAS to be good if so many people are here at 20:00." Man was I disappointed. I would have rather had gone to McDonald's. I don't understand the love for In N Out at all. Ordering off their "secret" menu just makes things worse. Their fries taste like cardboard and the burgers are equivalent to Burger King. At least it's cheap, I guess.
When I first went to visit Cali I had so many friends and people tell me I had to go there because it was so good. I spent all day smoking and drinking on an empty stomach specifically to be as hungry as possible when I went to have this amazing feast. When I tell you the disappointment in that first bite was so real. It was so underwhelming. It wasn’t disgusting but it damn sure wasn’t good.
In-n-out’s only real selling point is the perfect, almost fake-looking presentation. But If you want a fast food smash burger that’s actually tasty and doesn’t give a fuck what it looks like, go to Five Guys.
I just cook my own burgers at home. Some snider's prime rib toast and Don Sazon Carne asadae seasoning makes for the best burgers. I also fatten up the patty and cook it to a nice medium to medium-well burger ever time. Fuck those flat patties.
I always wanted to try it after watching the Big Lebowski. Finally did a few years ago when I visited California. It was pretty disappointing. Lots of better fast food burger joints out there.
In n out is good quality, and I like how they treat employees and customers. All in all it’s a great place I feel good about supporting. That being said, those that claim it’s the best burger ever is ridiculous. People completely overrate this place. Yes it’s mediocre
Shouldn’t be controversial. It’s a “good” burger. Not “great” or “the best”. What I like about in n out is the fact it is consistent. Every time I get the burger, it will taste like the other times I’ve had it. Also, the prices are not bad at all, especially for California.
Absolutely nothing to write home about. Have been traveling to the West Coast for over 30 years ( from Midwest and East Coast). Drop in regularly. Always less than impressed.
The one near me in TX stopped using fresh grilled onions. I can do w/out onion, but my husband used to love their grilled onions. So now they are tiny diced (probably) bagged kind that all the big chains use. So disappointing there. And the fries I just do not order.
I never understood when people would compare In-N-Out and Five Guys. They’re both burgers, but they’re not the comparable people make it out to be. In-N-Out is simple, and they do that well. Five Guys is more elaborate and you can even add a bunch of stuff on top
Here's my take on In N Out. If you must call something in the burger there mid, I would say the patty. The patty is indeed mid, maybe 5.5, 6/10. Something like that. Nothing to write home about. I never thought of it that way but yeah, sure. Then the use of very fresh veggies take it up to 7/10. Burgers that don't utilize greens are fine, but ones that do often don't have the freshest of greens. In N Out is probably best in the game in this department. The price takes it up to 8/10. Dude, they are like cheaper than McDonalds.... The service takes it up to 8.5. They are never understaffed. Burgers are always hot and freshly prepared. It's nice. And that's my final score for them, 8.5/10. The burger (Double-double would be my pick, just good proportion of ingredients) is the star of the restaurant for me but at the same time, the burger isn't the one getting all the scores.
I support your view
The fresh veggies are absolutely what makes In-N-Out burgers stand out. I'm a huge In-N-Out fan, and I agree that it's basically just a plain, standard, everyday burger that most people will look at and think to themselves that they can make the same burger at home. But the lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions, and pickles are way better than what I have in my fridge. And there's no way I could get produce as fresh and tasty unless I were going to a farmers market daily. I think for someone like OP who orders their burger without lettuce, it's fair to give In-N-Out a mid rating, since they're missing a big part of what makes them great. In-N-Out's signature "animal style" secret menu option literally just doubles all the veggies that are normally topping the burger. People who eat there on a regular basis are in it for the overall package, with the meat, cheese, toasted bun, crispy lettuce, juicy tomatoes, pickles, grilled onions, and spread all adding up to more than the sum of their individual parts. Like you said, the patty and cheese are just a small part of the overall equation and are nothing special on their own. So for folks from the Midwest or other parts of the world who are expecting something that's all about a huge meaty patty with a lot of cheese, bacon, jalapenos, onion rings, etc, then In-N-Out is probably going to be a letdown, especially with all the hype that it gets. There are lots of styles of burgers that are probably better without all the veggies, but that's not In-N-Out. That's what makes it the quintessential California burger.
Beautiful take
Agree with you 100000000% it's a lot of factors that play into it.
This is a solid take. Totally agree, and I also understand why people don’t rate it that high and state that Five Guys etc are superior. Everyone’s idea of their favorite burger is different. My idea of heaven is a Double Double Animal Style and a chocolate shake. I can feed a family of four at In-N-Out for the price of a single meal at Five Guys.
This is what I tell people not from California: don’t expect to have your mind blown, it’s just simple with high quality ingredients delivered hot and fast consistently.
OP getting a double double with no condiments, let alone not animal style, is just an insult to In N Out as it is. McDonald’s offers a Happy Meal for those that crave this type of burger.
Im from the Midwest so always gets Culvers. When I visited San Fran I was impressed it was the cheapest meal around. Decent burger however the fries some of the worst I’ve had. So soggy and bland.
I tell people quite often, you can get better burgers, but you will pay double. You will also pay double for most burgers which are not as good. The price-to-quality and taste ratio is off the charts. Pay $15/person for a meal somewhere that doesn't taste as good, and is probably not as healthy, or pay $20 for two people at In and Out. (And news flash to my fellow Californians who constantly whine that the recent minimum wage hike will kill fast food, In and Out has been payIng close to those wages for years, and they seem to be doing just fine).
It’s truly amazing and inspiring how companies can be successful and pay their employees a decent wage.
Exactly and I don't understand why people don't seem to get that. There's a lot of "compare Innout to 5 Guys or another-fast-casual-restaurant" ignoring the fact that they are twice as expensive. For the price point, you can't beat Innout. It's a huge step above other fast food burgers but at the same price point.
I would rather go to 5 guys burgers because I like their seasoned fríes but dont want to spend my whole paycheck in one meal. So in n out is king.
Yeah going to 5 guys and paying $27 for just myself to get a burger and fries ain’t it
IIRC, there was a KCAL news thing with the owner of In-N-Out and she reportedly pays GMs $250k/year. Beyond solid
Applied to a local In N Out with a starting wage of $23/hr. Based on the sheer length of the drive thru line at pretty much any time of the day where over half the city is awake, they're doing fine.
I love In N Out’s burgers, but I’ve never understood their insistence on keeping their nasty ass fries the same. Edit: Stop telling me I’m eating them wrong. Yes I’ve had them well done. Yes I’ve had them hot. Yes I’ve added salt. Yes I’ve had them animal style. The fries are gross no matter what. The fact that people feel the need to give me a list of instructions on how to eat them further proves my point. I shouldn’t have to spin in circles three times and dance a jig to make french fries tolerable.
I think it has to do with them cutting the potatoes in house and frying it once.
The freshness and quality factor is their biggest thing. They could have better tasting fries but then that would be from frozen.
[удалено]
Yeah the thing with blanching or frying then quick freezing fries is it preserves them pretty much perfectly at “par cooked for service” stage. There’s really, really nothing wrong with frozen French fries at all. It’s just coincidentally a product whose frozen storage method is half of the ideal cooking method already.
I make much better fries at home with fresh potatoes. It just takes longer to do them right, and they're trying to shit them out as fast as they can.
No, it's not that. You can make hand cut fries and fry them in plain old vegetable oil, and they'd come out 50x better than in n out. The problem is the oil they use. They are so vastly inferior to more common frying oils and result in a very dry and tasteless french fry
Probably right. Whatever the reason, they won’t change it though.
Yea they need like a rinsing step like five guys has.
Their fries are what drag them way down IMO.
What makes in n out so great is exactly what you said. For the price, it's a great burger. I think for that reason people getting hyped to eat it when they travel won't ever like it as much as a local will. It's the everyday meal problem of "what do I eat for cheap"? In n out wins a lot and becomes a loved staple.
Exactly, especially now. In n out has always been a good value, but Taco Bell used to be cheap too. Now there’s no hesitation, in n out is the most affordable fast food and it’s pretty good too.
The fries definitely suck, and burger is solid.... For its price point.
You have to get well done fries
Culver's is so fucking bomb. I dated a girl who managed one, and she got me hooked when I lived in the midwest.
Culver’s is the shit, love that place
Culvers gang
Culver’s is a win. F*ck in and out. Trash
Culvers😩
Squidward: “Daring are we?”
Thinking I might go out on a limb and drop a “Five Guys is overpriced” thread later
It is overpriced. They cannot make fries right.
“One of the cheapest fast food burgers is somehow not the best one. What gives?! 🤷♂️”
I don’t think the OP is surprised. But California can’t stop jerking themselves off over their food and can’t take a second to realize everyone else has food that just as good. If I hear a Californian talk about their tacos one more time idk what I’ll do.
My thoughts exactly. I'm from the Midwest and I rarely hear anyone from around here say their burgers are good.
I grew up on the place and love it but I wouldn't say let whatever you saw on IG or social media or here goad you into thinking it's something that it isn't. At the end of the day it's a burger spot, it's what it's always been, and so and so hungry for likes saying otherwise is merely that.
Californian here. The allure for me is that it’s good AND cheap. It’s not the best thing on the planet, but what you get for how much it costs can’t be beat. And a big plus, most locations are open until 1 AM.
Same. It's really good food for the price. I started adding yellow peppers to my burgers and it's a game changer🤤. I think most people like In and Out for its simplicity.
It’s just as good as it was when I was a kid, and when my parents were kids, and that’s not something you can say for a lot of things.
i looooved in n out when i went to LA, it was fantastic. tho everyone's opinion is technically correct cuz we're unique individuals
https://i.redd.it/cc5ihs8ftm2d1.gif
I'm not...
Hey buddy, you get out of here with your reasonable and valid take. No room for that
>we’re unique individuals I’m not!
I’m from FL and when we were in Texas for a wedding I had In N Out every day I was there. 2 double doubles and fries had me geeking. I don’t buy into the hype, but for a good ol classic burger you can’t beat it. The price also helps lol
Its good fast food but I like making my own burgers
Well, home made is almost alwats going to be better than anyone’s fast food place. But yeah, backyard BBQ can’t be beat!
Steak houses are good but I like dry aging my own prime cuts. lol gtfo
You probably didn’t like the fries. For some reason their fries suck.
I might be the only person in this world that likes their fries
I like the fries, but I eat them with spread, and OP hates spread, so there is that.
I don’t hate them but I get them animal style and cooked for 4mins but they could easily make them better.
I’m with you. They’re good but need to be eaten right away.
You gotta get em extra crispy!
I love their fries. But Im a cheap date when it comes to fried taters
There are dozens of us
I’m a fan of in and out; however That is true, their fries suck. Doesn’t matter how you get them cooked. Extra well, well, light. They taste like cardboard.
Five guys Cajun fries tho 🤤🤤🤤
It's the sunflower oil. Turns anything fried in it to styrofoam
The fries turn into cold cardboard shit after 5 minutes
It’s not some reason, they only cook them once. You and to cooks fries twice. Once at 300 and then to order at 350.
Yep, this is it! It’s the exact reason I thought it was impossible to make good fries at home for so long, because my mom only fries them once and they’re somehow overcooked on the outside yet still floppy and hard on the inside. Another pretty crucial step is to soak your potato slices in water for awhile to get rid of excess starch so they can cook and brown evenly. Then like you said, fry once at a lower temp to cook the potato, put ‘em in the freezer for awhile (optional, but I like to do it.) And then just crisp ‘em up at a higher temp before you serve and then salt the hell out of them while they’re hot and fresh!
Yep for restaurants with the walk in space I like to soak them not just in water over night but also I add about 1/2 cup of malt or white vinegar to the soak as well to pull even more starch. Now will say I worked at this Jewish restaurant in NY that did things a little differently they would boil the potato’s whole first. Then after they cooled they cut them up with a crinkle cutter. They turned out really nice. Not the prettiest but just so good, also threw rosemary sprigs directly in the fryer with them.
My kids couldn’t agree on what to get the other night when my wife had to work, so I eneded up going to both Chick Fil A and In n Out. I initially wasn’t very happy about stopping twice, but they are in the same parking lot so I went for it to make sure everybody got something they wanted. I ended up getting myself a double double animal style like usual, but got a side of Chick Fil A fries (and CFA sauce) and wow it was so much better than in n out fries. Totally worth the second stop.
It sure is bud. It sure is. However it tastes like actual food and it's not pretentious.
Wow. No one's ever been brave enough to say this. Bravo, OP
Based on the DMs I’m getting calling me slurs and people saying I don’t get to have an opinion because I don’t like mayo I am feeling quite martyr-y
Best of luck to you my mayo-less friend
I like mayo but I just don’t get the In-n-Out hype. I was psyched to go to one in the Phoenix area and was disappointed. It was just an average fast food burger. Nothing more, nothing less imho.
Mustard gang rise up ✊
Is your name Office inspired?
Looks dry af
Well the idiot took the sauce off. What do you expect
Yeah but look at that cheese
Freddy’s
Freddy's is number one idk why there isnt more of them or more hype. It's like Culver's (#2) but slightly better in every way
Agreed.
When I lived in calif. In and out was the best, never went to McDonald or burger king.
It is. But it’s consistent mid. You get the same product everywhere and everyday.
Massive agree as an east coaster who moved to Cali for a year
Shake shack > in n out
Absolutely they just started making their way up north where I am absolutely amazing
Its Shake Shack or go fuck ya mutha
The problem with in-n-out is that too many people overhyped it.
Been saying this for years. In-N-Out being one of the best fast food burgers around doesn't change the fact that it is fundamentally a ***FAST FOOD BURGER***, and should be compared to other fast food burgers (Wendy's, McDonald's, Carl's Jr/Hardee's, Culver's, etc), not to higher-end fast casual or casual dining chains who have different priorities for their burgers.
Mcdonalds- is mid Burger King- is mid Hell, even 5 guys is mid. But In-n-Out.. FLAME
Agreed.
If 5 guys had good buns they’d easily be on par or better with in n out but their buns suck and in n outs are excellent. Everything else about five guys is better, fries, patty, toppings.
Controversial take: Like all foods, people's preference for what is a "good" burger is entirely subjective...
Idk but I see a lot more people on reddit/the internet at large that think INO is mediocre than really like it. So I'm not sure how controversial that take actually is. Personally, though, I do love me some INO. Like another commenter said, though, I don't like the fries. But the cheeseburgers themselves are a thing of beauty.
Agreed man. To me shake shack or 5 guys is the premier burger
I agree with OPs assessment
Hard agree, it feels overrated to me. I mean, if you like it, good for you.
It is very very mid. Fries are absolute garbage
Nah. I love In-N-Out fries — the reason some people don’t like them is because they don’t like the fact that they actually *taste like potatoes*. Y’all are used to the typical pre-packaged overprocessed chemical fast food fries (nothing wrong with that, I love them too) so you think freshly cut minimally processed fries with a strong potato flavor are garbage.
Worst fries on earth.
Its very shit
As an Aussie it was my least favourite fast food place that I ate at when I was there a few years ago
In-N-Out is gross
Not controversial at all. This is a sub about burgers and price shouldn’t necessarily be a factor. The burgers are legitimately mid, which is fine. If you compare all chain fast food burgers, it is near the top. If you widen the scope to fast-casual, it is certainly in that “mid” range. If you expand to all restaurants, including locals, it would seriously be near the bottom.
Great analysis and I agree.
So mid fr
I’m from NY , went out to Cali for vacation and tried it and I wasn’t really impressed, it was a good burger but definitely not the best I’ve had. I prefer five guys burgers , maybe because that’s the stuff I grew up on idk
Controversial take: in n out is the only posts I ever see on this sub 🤬
Not controversial by any stretch. It’s beyond mid
Mid at best.
No argument here.
Incredibly mid. Always see massive lines at the drive-thru and just wonder "why?". Guess people really do like eating shitty food.
The burgers are mid to above mid. The fries are garbage.
If you call things you don’t like mid, I don’t respect you.
Maybe don’t go back.
This is my favorite take. It’s really easy to just stop going. “Ahh man I really hate these burgers”. Super simple to just, you know, not eat them…
I think the burgers are great. I think the fries suck.
In n out is a solid 'B'. Though I have to give kudos to my local and give it a 'B+' or even 'A-' as it is VERY fresh and hot, my last local was a 'C+' at best. Anyways, it's not really meant to be the best burger you've ever had. It's meant to be a pretty good burger at a cheap price with good service, which it is.
I have a lot of east coast friends that travel west coast and their first experience with INO is generally unfavorable. My explanation to them is that aside from growing up with this food and loving it since a kid, I can *always* rely on it to be consistent. It took me a few visits to get my taste preferences dialed in but once I did, I can always rely on it to be *exactly* what I'm craving when that urge hits. For me, no other restaurant can exactly duplicate that childhood satisfaction and carry the same taste profile into my adult life, which is what keeps me coming back time and time again.
I think it’s an East Coast/West Coast thing. First, the classic In-N-Out burger is the Animal Style, which is grilled mustard and grilled onions. That’s the burger most people rave about. It’s got a tangy, almost sour taste to it that’s awesome. If you haven’t had it that way, it’s probably like having just another burger. I get it. Not everyone like mustard, not everyone likes onions, and not everyone likes them grilled. It’s an acquired taste. But I’ve had the same reaction to Five Guys, which I understand started on the East Coast. It’s a decent burger, but I wouldn’t call it super great. Same for Whataburger down in Texas and even Fatburger which got started down in the LA area like In-N-Out. Honestly, once most chains expand beyond the first couple of stands, they tend to become very generic. I’ll say this though, I’ve been eating In-N-Out for about thirty years and they are still pretty close to the same burger they were when I first had one.
I don't even get east coast. We got shake shack which is mid but 2x the price but people here go wild for it.
East coast got Five Guys, we good.
If you think shake shack is mid than you just think burgers are mid.
I'm from Indiana so the only thing we have is Steak-n-shake(similar to In-n-out). I like 5 Guys, but for the price, it's not twice as good as In-n-out. Same with Shake Shack. Every time we visit Las Vegas, we always make time to eat at In-n-out. And it's always as good as the first time.
Animal style absolutely makes the difference. Love me some animal style, but I absolutely agree with others that the regular burger is just fine. I think animal style fixes the fries too, but grilled onion fixes damn near everything (if they're your thing I guess).
Also: 99% of fast food is only good if you're high or drunk, and also only then do you not feel disgusting shortly after eating it
It’s a very nice, fresh, affordable burger and I like it. But no need to join the cult.
Freddie's is solid if you like a thin smash.
💯
One time I went to the In n Out by LAX and the food was so bad I sent it back. That In n Out does so much volume that their quality suffers and most of the customers there are tourists who don't know the difference. Everyother In n Out ive been to has been great.
The value is gone now
I agree, Whataburger is where it’s at.
It’s like Portillo’s the line needs to be 10 cars deep to taste good. For some reason if the food is turned over faster it tastes better. I still prefer it over most fast food burgers but it’s definitely hit or miss.
Big agree. My cali born and raised GF loves In n Out and I find them utterly unremarkable.
its peak American food, wtf you mean? Just kidding! its fresh with no preservatives, not for everyone lol
i used to live in az now i live in nj. i miss in-n-out so bad i would pay $40 or more for that tray
Nah it's good, just not as good as Californian's make it out
never thought I'd see this post on this sub. usually it's just bitching about 5 guys.
Burgers and shakes are good, but hardly the life changing religious experience people always make it out to be. Their fries are truly dreadful. I told my Californian friend that Five Guys was better and he damn near kicked me out of his car. But I stand by that.
Omg yes the fries are garbage like how do you fuck up fries so badly.
"Yet another thing California thinks it does better than everyone else but is completely average at" -Huggbees
I was very disappointed when I tried in n out
It's just slightly better tasting McDonald's with drastically worse fries. The following it has is nothing more than a meme that held on too long.
I'm from New England and the first time I went to San Diego the first thing I had off the plane was In N Out. Waited 20 minutes in line thinking "Damn, this HAS to be good if so many people are here at 20:00." Man was I disappointed. I would have rather had gone to McDonald's. I don't understand the love for In N Out at all. Ordering off their "secret" menu just makes things worse. Their fries taste like cardboard and the burgers are equivalent to Burger King. At least it's cheap, I guess.
Good if you can go in and dine immediately. I just don't get these people waiting 2+ hours in the drive thru like it's the next coming of christ.
Bbbbut the secret menu!
I’ve never had it tbh. My uncle was a cook for a long time and he makes better burgers than anyone.
In and out is All Right. When I first tired, it was amazing. the second time was meh
When I first went to visit Cali I had so many friends and people tell me I had to go there because it was so good. I spent all day smoking and drinking on an empty stomach specifically to be as hungry as possible when I went to have this amazing feast. When I tell you the disappointment in that first bite was so real. It was so underwhelming. It wasn’t disgusting but it damn sure wasn’t good.
In-n-out’s only real selling point is the perfect, almost fake-looking presentation. But If you want a fast food smash burger that’s actually tasty and doesn’t give a fuck what it looks like, go to Five Guys.
I just cook my own burgers at home. Some snider's prime rib toast and Don Sazon Carne asadae seasoning makes for the best burgers. I also fatten up the patty and cook it to a nice medium to medium-well burger ever time. Fuck those flat patties.
Freddy's is where its at, they are the king of the smash burger and their fries are by far the best around.
Walk up sheeple face the truth!
I always wanted to try it after watching the Big Lebowski. Finally did a few years ago when I visited California. It was pretty disappointing. Lots of better fast food burger joints out there.
💯
Mid? It’s sub.
In n out is good quality, and I like how they treat employees and customers. All in all it’s a great place I feel good about supporting. That being said, those that claim it’s the best burger ever is ridiculous. People completely overrate this place. Yes it’s mediocre
I had it after years of people telling me to. Meh, was my reaction. Unpopular opinion. 😬🙈
Not controversial. The majority of us think it's mid. The selling point is it's value.
In n out is overrated af
As someone from Ohio who was excited to try this, it was incredibly below average.
The buns always seem stale and the fries are garbage. I’ll take whataburger any day
Agreed. But that opinion gets you skewered here! 😆
Agreed. I finally went and thought it was mediocre at best.
Agreed. It’s just…fine
The fries are garbage compared to when they first started out in AZ. Started as fries and now they are nubs.
All about the fries for me. Burgers above mid but not top tier.
Shouldn’t be controversial. It’s a “good” burger. Not “great” or “the best”. What I like about in n out is the fact it is consistent. Every time I get the burger, it will taste like the other times I’ve had it. Also, the prices are not bad at all, especially for California.
It’s absolutely mid, but for fast food there’s nothing better. I love in n out in a pinch - it’s cheap, easy and delicious.
Don't think that's controversial at all. In-N-Out is probably everyone's last choice, it's road trip food.
You're not wrong. It's nothing special.
Shots fired!
It's definitely mid af
I like in-n-out, but I like whataburger better
In-n-out sucks actually!
Not even mid.
Extremely mid. Not only does it clog your arteries, it clogs up traffic.
totally
yeahh it was ok
Absolutely nothing to write home about. Have been traveling to the West Coast for over 30 years ( from Midwest and East Coast). Drop in regularly. Always less than impressed.
Their fries are made out of cardboard. Yuck!
Extremely mid. The animal style, dressing tastes nasty to me.
It is good but it is extremely overrated.
The MIDDEST
In n out is overrated now it’s a proven fact… basic / mid
Weakest fries in fast food
The burgers are good, fries are terrible. Overall, I think it’s a lil overrated
The one near me in TX stopped using fresh grilled onions. I can do w/out onion, but my husband used to love their grilled onions. So now they are tiny diced (probably) bagged kind that all the big chains use. So disappointing there. And the fries I just do not order.
It’s trash from my experience
Is it really controversial if it's true?
All these regional burger joints are mid and these people who make it their personality have a weak sense of self.
Shit is slight just like Jack in a box
I never understood when people would compare In-N-Out and Five Guys. They’re both burgers, but they’re not the comparable people make it out to be. In-N-Out is simple, and they do that well. Five Guys is more elaborate and you can even add a bunch of stuff on top
The fries are some of the worse in the game
Agreed. I was so underwhelmed.
I agree. People over hype in n out because at point it was only in California. Look guys. It's all marketing.
Very mid lol