While In-N-Out perennially earns good reviews, it's not a company without faults in its more
than seven decades of history. They may not keep their menu all that secret, but there
are a few things they'd prefer to keep from the general public. These are the secrets
In-N-Out doesn't want you to know.
Given In-N-Out's rabid popularity...
"These guys come along and people wait for hours just to get a burger. I mean, check
it out. This is the line right now."
it would seem that the company would want to put restaurants in high-population areas
like New York City. But opening on the East Coast probably isn't going to happen.
In an interview with Forbes, In-N-Out CEO Lynsi Snyder said it's critical that the company
retains the high standards her grandparents had when they opened the first restaurant
in 1948. All its food is delivered to restaurants daily from company-owned distribution centers
where meat is ground and bread is baked. According to Business Insider, all restaurants must
be located within 300 miles of one.
These regulations help the company maintain strict control over food quality, including
never using microwaves, freezers, or heat lamps. The company doesn't have a distribution
center farther east than Texas, and hasn't announced any plans to expand in that direction.
CEO Lynsi Snyder recounted to Forbes how her father, Guy, was passed over for the role
of CEO in 1976 due to his ongoing struggle with drugs and alcohol. Then, in 1993, Snyder's
uncle Rich, then the CEO, died in a plane crash following a visit to a store opening
in Fresno, California. Snyder's grandmother, Esther, took over as CEO following Rich's
death, while Guy was appointed chairman and executive vice president. Guy's struggle with
drugs and alcohol continued, and following three overdoses, he died in 1999 of a heart
attack.
According to People, Snyder's father's death sent her spiraling, and she turned many of
the same vices to cope with her grief. In her early 20s, after her first divorce, she
realized she was following too closely in the footsteps of her father. She found a renewed
Christian faith and stopped abusing alcohol and drugs. She took the reins of the company
in 2010, at 27 years old.
Speaking of Snyder's faith, In-N-Out's burger wrappers and drink cups have sported Bible
verses since roughly 1987. As a privately-held company, the decision to share faith in this
way is solely within the hands of Snyder herself.
“Our main thing is that we're giving God the glory and we believe that He's blessed
this company."
In 2018, the Los Angeles Times chronicled how the California Democratic Party called
for a boycott of In-N-Out after discovering the company had donated $25,000 to the Republican
Party. Of course, that sent Republican lawmakers and supporters flocking to the restaurants
for burgers and selfies.
The LA Times noted that In-N-Out donated to the Republican Party in 2016 and 2017, too.
But the proposed boycott of In-N-Out failed, perhaps because the company also made contributions
to committees affiliated with the Democratic Party in the same years, and has developed
a strong reputation as a good employer.
In 2018, In-N-Out made it clear that the company does not stand for the types of pranks that
interfere with day-to-day operations or the enjoyment of its customers. CBS News reported
that YouTube star Cody Roeder , known to fans as "Trollmunchies," entered In-N-Out Burger
locations on two separate days, claiming to be the new CEO. He talked loudly about "food
contamination," and in one case, pulled apart a customer's burger, throwing the separated
lettuce and meat to the ground.
In-N-Out's legal team responded quickly and severely, seeking a restraining order and
damages of more than $25,000, stating that such antics cause "significant and irreparable
harm" to the business.
While they certainly also have their defenders, some folks hate In-N-Out's fries. The LA Times
called them the worst in the business. Critics of In-N-Out's fries say they lack the crispy
exterior and soft interior of competitors' fries. This may be because In-N-Out doesn't
soak its fries in water before frying them, and according to LAist, they also don't double-fry
them like some others do. The double-fry technique allows the fries to cook through on the first
fry, and to achieve a crispy exterior on the second.
In-N-Out associates cut potatoes on the spot, almost immediately tossing them into the fryer
before serving them to guests. This allows for a fresher fry, but it lacks the consistency
and taste most people expect when eating fast food fries. If you want a crispier french
fry, just ask for them "well done."
According to a Reddit Q-and-A thread with someone claiming to be an In-N-Out associate,
it's really not that hard to recreate the chain's famous burger at home.
All you need is high-quality beef, sponge dough buns, American cheese, tomatoes, and
iceberg lettuce. The only "secret" part is the secret sauce, but even that isn't hard
to emulate. According to the associate, the secret sauce is basically just Thousand Island
dressing. Grab a bottle of it at your local grocery store and you can assemble your own
Animal Style Double Doubles.
The associate notes that they use a specific order for layering items: the spread on the
bottom, then tomatoes, lettuce, meat, and cheese. It's In-N-Out, but all you had to
do was stay in!
According to an October 2018 report from the California Public Interest Research Group,
In-N-Out received an F grade for its policy on antibiotic use in beef. Only three restaurants
escaped the "F" rating: Wendy's didn't do much better, with a D-, but Shake Shack and
BurgerFi each received an A.
When humans eat meat from cows that have been treated with antibiotics, they're raising
the risk of antibiotic resistance, so diseases or infections that can't be as readily treated
with common antibiotics.
According to the same report, in 2016, In-N-Out announced plans to source beef raised without
medically important antibiotics. But since then, no further announcements or timelines
have been set to actually put this policy in place.
We hate to break it to you, but all the tastiest foods have a high level of fat.
"Every time you taste something that's beyond imagining, and you say 'What is in this?',
the answer is always going to be…"
Fat.
It gives food flavor and delivers a juicier consistency. So it's no shock that the burgers
at In-N-Out are loaded with the stuff. A basic hamburger with onion contains 19 grams of
fat, five of which are saturated. Order a cheeseburger, and you bump the fat content
up from 19 to 27 grams.
Consuming fat is a normal part of eating a well-balanced diet, and eating fat doesn't
make you fat. But fats, compared to proteins and carbohydrates, are more energy-dense — a
gram of fat contains more calories than a gram of protein or carbs. So more fat means
more calories.
That basic In-N-Out cheeseburger has just shy of 500 calories, and that doesn't include
the fries or a drink. So moderation, as in all things, is key.
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