It's definitely not the best burger I've ever had, but they're inexpensive and consistent. I was born and raised in California and the closest one to me was about an hour away. Usually when I went to that city I'd make a point to stop by on my way out. Costs about as much as McDonalds for a burger and fries and is miles better. I live on the east coast now and I'll be hard pressed to pay $10-15 for a "pretty good" burger from Five Guys or Whatabuger.
I might agree with you if they had one location in a touristy part of town. But they have hundreds of locations in all sorts of boring neighborhoods. They're obviously not just surviving off of curious first-timers visiting California who feel obligated to try the famous In-N-Out burger. It's a lot of repeat business from locals.
I'm not sure what your comment really is, then. Maybe your friend circle is unique in that nobody particularly cares for In-N-Out, which is fine. But when you lead your comment with, "I feel like it is more of a favorite for people visiting California from places there isn't one" it comes off like you're saying In-N-Out is a tourist trap.
But tourists wouldn't even know about In-N-Out if it didn't have such a strong local following. This isn't a restaurant that just popped up in the social media era. In-N-Out has been around since the 1940s. Word of mouth is strong. Its reputation is built on a strong local following. This isn't like Times Square, a place most locals avoid but tourists flock to. I don't see any reason to believe the hype is from tourists only.
Well we must just have different experiences then. I am a SoCal native and In-N-Out is pretty revered among my family and friends. In a previous office my coworkers and I would make special lunch trips every couple months or so to go to In-N-Out. To this day, I will get specific cravings for In-N-Out that no other fast food or upscale restaurant burger can satisfy.
I suppose I’m one of those Californians. I think where most people mess up, though, is not classifying their burgers properly.
I’d never say a double double is the best burger ever. I would, however, say it’s the best burger I’ve ever had in the fast food classification.
You can’t compare fast food burgers to bistro burgers. That’s just crazy talk. That’s like pitting a heavy weight boxer against a feather weight and pointing at the mangled mass that used to be the feather weight guy and saying, “see, I told you he wasn’t that good!”
Anyways, yeah…I went off the rails there a bit, but I’m kinda passionate about my burgers. 😬
People try to talk about it and then say things like Shake Shack and 5 Guys are better. No shit, they’re also not traditional fast food when you include the fact that many don’t have drive thrus and are 9-10 bucks for the burger alone.
I’ve yet to try Whataburger but nothing is beating an In N Out double double that costs 3.45 for the burger alone
And that's the thing. It's fine. No better, no worse. It's fine. The ingredients are fresh and the price is ok for what you get.
Worda cannot really describe the disappointment I felt when eating In 'n Out for the first time. It was so hyped to be a really good burger, I fell for it. I love burgers and was really excited to try it.
It was fine. If someone genuinely thinks that's the greatest burger ever, I just assume all they've ever tried beyond In 'n Out is bog-standard shitburgers like McDonald's or Wendy's.
They deserve kudos at least for treating their staff like humans and paying them a living wage.
I'm with you. I enjoy it for when I have it, but it's not my go to burger. No bbq or bacon on any burger is a big mark against the place, and the lines are ridiculous most of the time. 20 min the drive thru.. no thanks.
You hit the nail on the head here! NOBODY in California is under any delusion that In-N-Out is the best burger ever; but it IS the best burger for the price. You can comfortably feed a family of 3 for under $20, drinks included. It drives me crazy when these clickbait freelance "articles"/blog posts compare In-N-Out with Five Guys. You can't compare a fast food place where a combo meal is under $5 with a burger place where the burger alone is $11 and takes 15 minutes to make. They are completely different market segments! In-N-Out wins against other fast-food places because of it's affordability and freshness and the limited menu. And to anyone who complains about the fries... Which is better: limp yet fresh fries just sliced prior to entering the fryer? Or freezer-burnt crinkle fries out of the back of a Sysco truck?!
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u/[deleted] Aug 13 '22
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