In-N-Out
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Template:Infobox Company In-N-Out is a privately-owned hamburger fast food restaurant chain located in California, Arizona, and Nevada. Established in 1948, In-N-Out has grown a cult following for providing a simple menu of hamburgers and french fries made to order with fresh ingredients. It is also known as one of the very few fast-food chains in the United States to pay its employees significantly more than federal and state mandated minimum wages.
Even though the chain's promotions are sporadic, In-N-Out generally relies on positive 'word-of-mouth' for its advertising. Its corporate headquarters is located in Irvine, California.
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History
In-N-Out's first location was opened in October 1948 by Harry and Esther Snyder at the northwest corner of what is now the intersection of the San Bernardino Freeway, Interstate 10 (I-10) and Francisquito Avenue in the Los Angeles suburb of Baldwin Park, California. In 1984, at the southwest corner of this intersection, In-N-Out established "In-N-Out University", for the purposes of training its management-level employees in a 'real world' setting. As the university was a full-service restaurant, it's operations were similar to that of any other In-N-Out restaurant and to the casual observer it was like any of the others except for its larger size (floor area). In 2004 the university was torn down and in its place a new restaurant with a 75-seat indoor dining area was constructed. After its completion, the original location was closed; the original kitchen is planned to be preserved as part of an upcoming In-N-Out Museum.
The In-N-Out chain only had locations in Southern California until the 1990s, when the company expanded to Northern California and Nevada. By 2000, it opened new locations in Arizona and now currently plans to move into southwestern Utah.
Every In-N-Out location is owned by the company. The private business does not currently plan to franchise any locations or to take the company public.
Food
In-N-Out focuses on providing a basic menu that has remained unchanged since the restaurant was established in 1948. Furthermore, all of the ingredients are fresh - never frozen. The ingredients are shipped from a central warehouse in trucks emblazoned with the corporate logo and slogans. Each week, shipments arrive consisting of some or all of the following:Inout.jpg
- bags of whole Kennebec or Russet (depending on the season) potatoes;
- boxes containing whole tomatoes;
- boxes containing whole heads of lettuce;
- bags of onions;
- racks of buns (12 buns per bag);
- crates of fresh meat patties;
- 5-gallon buckets of fresh pickles;
- 'bricks' of sliced cheese;
- drums of fresh cottonseed oil (to fry the french fries);
- containers of mustard/ketchup;
- various soft drink 'syrup' canisters (for combination with the CO2 system and transfer into the drink dispensers);
- cartons of vanilla ice cream - not frozen - (for the milkshakes);
- 1 US gallon (3.8 L) jugs of chocolate and strawberry syrup (for the milkshakes);
- 1 US gallon (3.8 L) jugs of lemonade concentrate; and
- various non-food items such as bags, napkins, etc.
It is because nothing is frozen that In-N-Out has not expanded far outside Southern California; delivery trucks are only able to travel a limited distance in each direction from In-N-Out's sole meat-packing plant. This committment to 'freshness' has limited the restaurant's expansion to only Northern California, Nevada, Arizona, and (in 2005) southwestern Utah.
The simple menu consists of the following:
- Hamburger
- Cheeseburger
- "Double-Double" - a double cheeseburger (2 slices of cheese and 2 meat patties), this is In-N-Out's most popular menu item
- French fries (one size only)
- Milk shakes - chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla
- Drinks - Coke, 7 Up, Barq's root beer, lemonade, tea, and coffee.
Due to relatively few locations (compared to other fast food chains), the just-in-time business model where the food is made to order, and the perception of a higher quality of food, the drive-thru and in-store lines are usually very long; it is normal to wait up to 15 minutes after one's order is submitted until it is ready.
The "secret" menu
There are also "secret" item specials, variations of the basic menu that are not listed on the menu nor advertised. These specials are only generally spread by word-of-mouth by In-N-Out aficionados (see below for the list and descriptions). Because these variations are not 'official', it is debatable which one is more popular or better known; the origins of each are equally vague. The 'standard' version is included for comparison purposes.
Burgers
- Standard: Unless specified otherwise, all burgers include a spread similar to Thousand Island dressing; one slice of tomato (or two if one does not cover the entire bottom bun); and a portion of lettuce. In addition, a customer will always be asked if he/she wants to add onions - chopped and grilled, a raw, fresh slice, or chopped and raw. The amount of onions is constant regardless of the number of meat patties unless the customer specifies "extra" or "light" onions. Onions are a no-cost addition.
- Animal style is the most popular "secret" style. In addition to the standard toppings, animal style burgers include pickles, extra spread, grilled onions, and mustard fried onto each meat patty. Any burger could be ordered animal style at no additional cost.
- Protein style, or Protein burger, popular among Atkins dieters and no/low carb eaters, replaces the hamburger bun with large leaves of lettuce. It can be combined with other special orders, e.g., animal protein style.
- 3×3, 4×4, or variations of m × c, refers to a burger with a varied amount of meat patties (first number, m) and slices of cheese (second number, c). For example, the popular Double-Double would be 2×2, while a burger with 6 meat patties and 3 slices of cheese would be a 6×3. Note that a customer can inadvertently order, for example, a 3×3 by simply requesting an extra patty and an extra slice of cheese (without knowing they just ordered a 3×3). In all cases, the extra patty and/or slice of cheese adds to the price of the burger.
- A double meat burger is a Double-Double with no cheese. Note that by definition a Double-Double automatically includes two slices of cheese; for two patties without the cheese, a double meat burger must be ordered.
- A 3-by-Meat burger is three meat patties with no cheese.
- The flying Dutchman includes two meat patties and two slices of cheese (no bun). Other condiments, including lettuce, tomato, spread, and onions, are not included.
- A grilled cheese is a sandwich with two slices of cheese and no meat patties. Like most orders, this can be combined with other styles such as animal style. Because there would be no meat patty(ies), the price was reduced accordingly.
- A veggie burger is a sandwich containing only vegetables, and no meat or cheese. This is also referred to by some as a "wish burger" but is not an officially recognized name. Because there would be no meat patty(ies), the price is reduced accordingly.
- Extra toast request leaves the burger buns on the grill for an extended period of time resulting in "crispy buns". Alternatively, the buns can be left untoasted.
- "Chopped chilis" adds mild (pickled) chopped peppers to the bottom layer of the burger, showing as "special" on the receipt. In addition, some locations will produce a small container of whole chilis upon requesting a "side of chilis".
- "Well-done" was a request for a burger that was cooked fully. Before a recent (within the last 15 years) increase in the cooking time was instituted, the burgers were generally cooked until "medium rare" (there was always some pink coloration in the finished burger); this request is largely moot as a result of the increased cooking time now in effect.
French fries
- Standard: Unless specified otherwise, all fries are cooked 3 to 5 minutes (or until "golden brown") in cottonseed oil. A salt/pepper mixture is added after the fries are cooked.
- Fries well-done are fries that have been cooked for a period that is longer than the typical 3 to 5 minutes making them crispy.
- Fries light are fries that have been cooked for a period that is less than the typical 3-5 minutes making them soft. Although not typical, a customer can order a fry cooked for a time they specify such as 30 seconds (e.g. a "30-second fry").
- Fries animal style include two slices of melted cheese, grilled onions, and spread as toppings.
- Cheese fries are fries with one or two slices of melted cheese.
- No-salt fry are fries without the salt/pepper mixture.
Milk shakes
- A neopolitan shake is a mixture of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavored shakes. You may also order a Choco-Vanilla Swirl Shake or any other combination of two flavors.
- A root beer float is a concoction made of half vanilla shake and half root beer. You can have any flavor of shake(s) or drink(s).
- Large and extra large shakes are also available. The cup sizes for these shakes are one below soft drinks (i.e. a large shake is a medium soft drink cup, while an extra large shake is a large soft drink).
Beverages
- Water is free for the asking.
- Lemon-up is a mixture of lemonade and 7 Up.
- Tea-ade is a mixture of iced tea and lemonade.
Store layout
The typical restaurant's interior layout includes the following:
- customer service counter with several computers and registers
- indoor dining room (benches and fixed chairs)
- kitchen
- food preparation area (where the tomatoes, onions,
- storage areas for the paper goods (napkins, bags, etc.)
- storage areas for the 'dry' food goods (potatoes, buns, etc.)
- walk-in refrigerator (no freezers) for the perishable goods (meat patties, lettuce, etc.)
- mechanical/electrical rooms
- restrooms
- employee locker rooms.
The exterior layout includes the following:
- one or two drive-thru lanes with corresponding service windows
- outdoor dining area (concrete tables and benches, and overhead canopies)
Variations of this layout exist depending on the age of the restaurant, physical lot size constraints, and the restaurant's relationship to neighboring structures or its proximity to the street. For example, many older restaurant designs are solely a drive-thru/walk-up layout with a 'two-box' design (i.e. the kitchen was separated from the remainder of the restaurant by one of the drive-thru lanes). This layout is typically comprised of two vehicles lanes (i.e. drive-thrus), a single window that customers can 'walk-up' to and order, and outdoor seating (only). As noted above, one drive-thru lane is on the side of the kitchen closest to the street (referred to as the 'front' lane) and the other lane is on the other side (referred to as the 'rear' lane). Indoor dining at these restaurants is not available. Because of its size, the kitchen is limited to a single customer service register, one cooktop grill, a countertop, two sets of fryers (for the french fries) with two fry baskets each, one set of soda and shake dispensers, a sink, and a 'spinner' that is used to centrifugally remove excess water from the freshly diced potatoes.
As a result of a larger restaurant site, newer restaurants now include an indoor dining area in addition to the outdoor dining area. Conversely, because of the greater ability to serve 'dine-in' customers, these stores will have only one drive-thru lane. Because the kitchen is larger, there is generally multiple registers, two grills, larger countertops, multiple fryers, etc. Depending on the location, and particularly if it is in a heavily developed or densely built area, a few locations with indoor dining areas will not have drive-thrus.
The signature colors for In-N-Out are white, red, and yellow. The white is used for the buildings' exterior walls and the employees' (associates') basic uniform, red is used for the buildings' roofs and associates' aprons/hats, and yellow is used for the decorative band on the roof. Naturally, variations in the application of the colors on the building will occur depending on the architecture of each restaurant.
Corporate culture
In-N-Out is one of the very few fast-food chains in the United States to pay its employees significantly more than the Federally-mandated minimum wage of $5.15/hour and California's minimum wage of $6.75/hour — currently starting pay is $9.00/hour. For its full-time employees, the company offers complete benefits which are almost unheard of in the rest of the industry. Additional 'fringe' benefits include an annual company picnic open to all employees, gifts at Christmas, and the opportunity to participate in a variety of other company-sponsored activities. Also, as all of the restaurants are closed on Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. Furthermore, In-N-Out is highly selective in the hiring process of its employees. As a result of these factors, In-N-Out enjoys lower employee turnover, better trained employees and higher efficiency. It is one of the few chains to receive a positive mention in the book Fast Food Nation.
The company operates on the principal that its customers, like its employees, are important as exemplified by the following In-N-Out "golden rules":
- Rule #1 - The customer is always right; and
- Rule #2 - If the customer makes a mistake, refer back to Rule #1.
In-N-Out is active in the communities it serves. Every year the company provides free burgers to participants marching in the Rose Parade, provides cans for donations, matches customer donations 3-to-1 in April for National Child Abuse Prevention month, and underwrites various fundraiser to support local charities and non-profit organizations.
Advertising
In-N-Out generally relies on positive 'word-of-mouth' for its advertising. Television advertisements are sporadic; for the most part, when the ads appear, the hamburger, or product, is the focus of the commercial - In-N-Out rarely, if ever, relies on spokespersons or actors for its commercials. Radio advertisements are equally rare and are generally limited to the characteristic jingle: "In-N-Out, In-N-Out. That's what a hamburger's all about." In addition to the jingle, there are several In-N-Out slogans including: "Quality You Can Taste" and "Cleanliness You Can See".
In Southern California, In-N-Out bumper stickers are ubiquitous. Instead of reading "IN-N-OUT BURGER", however, many have been modified to read "IN-N-OUT URGE".
Miscellaneous
In-N-Out also offers a cookout trailer that can be hired for private or corporate events. This trailer offers hamburgers, cheeseburgers, double-doubles, grilled cheese, 20 oz. fountain drinks, and potato chips, instead of fries, to hungry patrons.
In terms of nutritional value, the average In-N-Out meal is not generally considered particularly healthy. A double-double, fries, and a chocolate shake — the order most often mentioned in their advertising — has 1,390 Calories (5,820 kJ).
Cult following
The burger chain has developed a cult following, primarily because of its reputation that fast food should be made from scratch, and the whims of the customer should be entertained. [1] (http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/14/dining/14BURG.html) A favorite among celebrities, Vanity Fair has even served In-N-Out burgers at its post-Oscars parties. [2] (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/07/fashion/07BURG.html)
The chain has also become an anti-corporate alternative to fast food restaurants such as McDonald's. When the location at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf opened, local business leaders said that they opposed every other fast food chain except In-N-Out because they wanted to maintain the flavor of family-owned, decades-old businesses in the area. [3] (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/03/03/BU202442.DTL)
Even the opening of a new In-N-Out location becomes an event. When one opened in Scottsdale, Arizona, there was a four-hour wait for food, and news helicopters whirled above the parking lot. [4] (http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/14/dining/14BURG.html)
Trivia
- Legend has it that a 100×100 was ordered by a group of four celebrating a birthday.
- Another legend has it that a fraternity tried to order a 500×500 but it was refused to be filled.
- Yet another legend has it that a group tried to order a 666×666 sandwich, but received a 667×667 sandwich instead (see below).
- A Home Run happens when a car passes by the microphone without ordering and drives right up to the drive-thru window.
- An Around The World is when Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry shakes are needed for orders that will be off soon.
- Prior to converting to computerized cash registers, the orders were taken on color-coded notepads (green for the front drive-thru window, pink for the rear drive-thru window, and white for the walk-up window)
- At least two of the Palm trees in front of each restaurant are crossed in an 'X'.
- During periods when the drive-thru line is really long, an employee is sent to personally take orders from the cars waiting to be served. Today, these employees enter the orders on a PDA-like device.
- In-N-Out stickers are available on request as well as paper hats.
Bible quotes
In-N-Out prints discreet references to Bible verses on their paper utensils. The print is small and out of the way, and only contains the book, chapter and verse numbers (i.e., "Proverbs 3:5"), not the actual text of the passages.
- Burger and cheeseburger wrappers
- Revelation 3:20—"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."
- Beverage cups and antenna toppers
- Milkshake cups
- Proverbs 3:5—"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."
- Double-Double wrapper
- Nahum 1:7—"The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him."
- Water cups
- John 14:6—"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
References
- Schlosser, Eric (2001) Fast Food Nation Perennial.
- Snopes.com article on Biblical quotes (http://www.snopes.com/business/alliance/inandout.asp) on In-N-Out cups and wrappings
- The Secret Behind A Burger Cult (http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/14/dining/14BURG.html) by Tom McNichol, New York Times
- Paradise in a Bun, Hold the Meat (http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/14/dining/14BSID.html) by Melissa Clark, New York Times
- The Red Carpet Leads To a Drive-Through (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/07/fashion/07BURG.html) by Patrick McGeehan, New York Times
- In-N-Out Burger is giving McDonald's a run for its money (http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/74/burgers.html) by Carleen Hawn
- In-N-Out Burger Beefs Up the Wharf (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/03/03/BU202442.DTL) by Jenny Strasburg, San Francisco Chronicle
- San Francisco job applicants come by the dozen to interview for jobs at a new In-N-Out restaurant; $9.25 per hour plus meal (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/08/15/BU207274.DTL) by Steve Rubenstein, San Francisco Chronicle
- In-N-Out Burger carved a niche in the competitive fast-food market by sticking with the basics (http://www.qsrweb.com/news_inout_72803.htm) by Frank Green, qsrweb.com.
External links
- In-N-Out Burger (http://www.in-n-out.com/)
- Yahoo! - In-N-Out Burgers, Inc. Company Profile (http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/105/105009.html)