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Tried In-And-Out burger, so What's the big deal? (1 Viewer)

Shane Martin

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Perhaps I misunderstood the hype but I kept hearing about "If you ever come out west, eat at "In and Out".

Being I'm from the Midwest(or southwest), I'm used to a quality burger at several local places so I'm expecting a great burger.

So while on a trip to San Francisco and while in Fisherman's Wharf, we stop in for IN-And-Out. The Place is packed so I figure ok so far so good.

I order the Double Double with onions as I was told to do.

Price was right so I can't complain there. It ran me no more than a typical trip to Wendy's or Burger King.

Sit down with my drink and much on some fries. Perfectly cut and tastes great. Nothing extraordinary mind you but good. Certainly no better than Wendys or McD's though I have an affinity for McD's fries(if they are fresh and crispy).

Take a bite of the burger and while it was tasty, I'm going "what's the deal??". Why the hype?

Could it just be that I'm spoiled being from where I am or could be it that they have some really sucky burger places out west or could it just be that I just don't get it? or a combination of the first 2?

Anyone else agree?
 

RobR

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Sep 24, 2000
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Their food sucks and the smell makes me sick ever time I drive by an In and Out. They have the worst fries. It's just toxic waste.
 

Jed M

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As you know Shane, I am from the midwest also. When I first moved to Vegas I wondered what all the fuss about In and Out was. Like you, it tasted good but was not the end all be all. Fast forward 7 years and I will admit that In and Out is so far superior to Wendys or McDonalds its not even close. I'm not sure what happened, but slowly it grew on me. :D

Fatburger is another unbelievable burger that is out west but will be opening some franchises in Kansas and Texas soon. If you ever go to a Cowboys game, make sure you try one in Dallas.
 

Patrick Sun

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Isn't the main selling point is that In-and-out burgers and fries are made with natural ingredients, and not as processed as the other fast food places?
 

Shane Martin

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Patrick,
If it is, it wasn't the main reason I went there or any reason.
If I wanted fast food, I would agree with this assessment but I can go to a few local burger places and get a burger that is far better for not much more(dollar or 2 tops).

RobR, I can't agree with your uh.. assessment.
 

MichaelPR

Second Unit
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Nov 16, 2003
Messages
401
I have had a FatBurger before at a branch recently opened here in NY. I can say that I will never ever give them business again after the way I was treated. I ordered a cheeseburger plain. I had to wait abou 7 minutes I was told....well I waited fifteen and I went up to the counter...I was told hold on 3 more minutes we will bring it right out to you....now I have been wating 25 minutes I went up to the counter and asked for a refund...they said hold on we will have it right up...I said can I speak to a manager...well apparently the guy I was speaking to was from their home office in Colorado...he say's my food is right up..sure enough it was....however the burger was not how I asked for it....I even had my receipt to prove it! The burger had like a pound of toppings on it including an egg??? what the hell is that about...at this point I had had it! I simply asked for my money back stating this was not my order and I presented my receipt to this home office guy(he gave me his business card). He looks at it and says I would be unable to offer me a refund since they have already made my meal...I said this is not what I ordered though..and he says yes it is and rips up my receipt...regardless and had a few choice words with this guy and everyone on line at the place was leaving....so basically I got ripped for an $8 hamburger....I don't know what the hell was wrong with that guy....but I was so enraged and felt like I was treated like such a shmuck I called their home office in Colorado and was basically treated like a fool and was then actually forwarded to this jokers cell phone....He didnt recall the incident and he hung up on me....WHAT THE HELL....I will never eat there again...and it looks like they are doing no business at all.....so it is with this I would like to say eat at Cheeburger Cheeburger....great burgers and excellent service....anyone else have anything like this happen to them?
 

Chazz_S

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Oct 8, 2002
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^ is this a joke or what? He ripped up your receipt?

And there is a joint called Cheeburger Cheeburger?
 

MichaelPR

Second Unit
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Nov 16, 2003
Messages
401
NO JOKE man....the guy was psychotic...yeah there is a joint call Cheeburger Cheeburger...we have it in the Palisades Mall here in NY....they seem to be opening a bunch more too! It's like Johnny Rockets but much better! And if you eat the pounder you get your picture taken with some ridiculous stuffed hamburger and they put it on the wall.....but I wouldn't know anything about that:D
 

Chazz_S

Supporting Actor
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Oct 8, 2002
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Ahh yeah figures that joint would be in New York!


But that fatburger thing is just messed up, I mean who rips up your receipt? That's just... I don't know if it's 'illegal' but that's just some kind of wrong. Should've called the cops or something...
 

MichaelPR

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Nov 16, 2003
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Yeah if I called the cops I would have been like that woman who called the cops on BK cause they kept making her kids happy meal wrong...lol
 

Joseph DeMartino

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We have one in West Palm Beach. Almost had dinner there Thursday night before seeing Episode III, but we settled on a steakhouse instead. Have to get over there for lunch one of these days. It is only a few minutes from my office.

Regards,

Joe
 

ChristopherDAC

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AE5VI
The best hamburger I have had so far was in Greenwich Village, New York City, at a little place called "Paul's Palace" across from a small theatre where I saw a production of Stomp. It was a very good hamburger, that's all, and not insanely too large the way you get at so many places.
 

Joe McCabe

Second Unit
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May 6, 1999
Messages
336
And me to the list of those who don't get what's so great about In N Out burger.

It's mediocre at best.

Now there's a new franchise called Five Guys Burger & Fries popping up around here, that is just hands down, the best burger I have ever had.
 

Kevin M

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Nothing compares to a good mom & pop greasy spoon burger, everyone has their local favorites. Mine would be a place near work called Reynold's Roadhouse, not exactly a "mom & pop" joint as there are two of them in the area but it has the flavor.
 

Jason Seaver

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I absolutely love living a block away from Bartley's in Harvard Square. Really good burgers with amusing names (the menu changes monthly) and great big milkshakes.
 

Carlo_M

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Oct 31, 1997
Messages
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To answer what makes In-n-Out the *company* so great, check out Fast Food Nation . They are one of the few burger companies that the author says has integrity.

That said, I personally love the taste of their burgers and fries, but I recognize it's a hit-n-miss situation. They actually use freshly cut potatos for their fries, they actually cut them minutes before frying them in their cholesterol-free oil. Now I know they taste radically different from, say, McD's fries (who used to spray them with a meat-product spray until they were caught by the vegetarian watch groups and were forced to find an alternative spray that mimicked the original spray), but that's what I love about them. I can leave In-N-Out feeling satisfied, but their food doesn't sit in my belly like a ton of bricks like some other places. Against the "big boys" like BK, McD, Carl's Jr, etc. I honestly prefer In-N-Out.

But I will also give a :emoji_thumbsup::emoji_thumbsup: to Fatburger, another great burger chain.
 

Joe Szott

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Feb 22, 2002
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Put me down as an In'n'Out lover. It's probably not the greatest single burger in the world, but it's high quality, cheap, fast, uses good ingredients, treats employees well (they give high school kids paid vacation time even), and it grows on you.

Besides that even, if you live out west you build up memories around In'n'Out. Like the time my wife and I drove 30 mins from San Jose to Gilroy just to get In'n'Out at midnight on a summer night. Eating the burgers in the back of a truck in the parking lot and then heading out to the beach all night. That stuff stays with you, going to In'n'Out is wrapped up in a lot of those good memories.
 

Tim Markley

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Jun 12, 1999
Messages
1,279
I like In 'n Out. It's a great fast food burger. I just moved here to the St. Louis area from San Jose and I already miss it. Whitecastle is no substitute. I want a double double with grilled onions! :D I also should add that the one thing that always sticks out in my mind about In 'n Out is that the employees there are always so friendly. They have the best customer service of any fast food place.
 

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