In-N-Out Burger is one of the most popular fast food chains on the West Coast of the USA.
It is known for its “secret menu” and specialties that are only given by request.
Serving up some of the best burgers in the US, In-N-Out had humble beginnings.
Here are ten delicious facts about In-N-Out Burger that will leave your mouth watering for more.
The first In-N-Out Burger opened in 1948.
Harry Snyder and his wife Esther opened the first In-N-Out Burger on October 22, 1948, outside LA in Baldwin Park, California.
It was just a drive-thru back then, and the building was smaller than 10 square feet.
This was also the first ever drive-thru hamburger stand to open in California.
In-N-Out Burger was the first drive-thru to have a speaker box.
The modern drive-thru concept didn’t exist at the time, and you still had to get out of your car to order. Snyder wasn’t happy with this setup and wanted to create an experience where customers could remain in their vehicles.
So after many long nights and experimenting with radios and speaker systems, Snyder had a breakthrough. In-N-Out Burger became the first drive-thru to have a two-way speaker system.
This allowed customers to place their orders remotely, meaning they didn’t have to leave their cars.
The first Animal Style burger was created in 1961.
In-N-Out Burger has become known for its trademarked “Animal Style” products.
It all started with the Animal Style Burger after customers kept requesting particular modifications to In-N-Out burgers.
Animal Style involves cooking the patty in mustard and adding extra pickles, grilled onions, and extra spread.
In 1984 In-N-Out Burger opened a burger university.
In-N-Out grew at a swift pace, opening restaurants and drive-thrus all across California.
Suddenly the chain required managers who all followed the same protocols. So Snyder decided to open In-N-Out University to train entry-level managers in the ways of In-N-Out.
This was In-N-Out Burger’s way of ensuring consistency across their branches.
There is a secret menu at In-N-Out Burger.
You may or may not have heard that there is a secret menu at In-N-Out Burger.
For the longest time, it was not written or displayed anywhere on their menus in-store or online.
Originally it was only known through word of mouth.
The not-so-secret menu can now be found on In-N-Out’s website and has some of the more popular secret-menu classics, such as Animal Style.
You will find Bible verses hidden on the packaging.
In-N-Out Burger is full of hidden surprises, and not just in its menu. For example, did you know that quotes from the Bible are printed on the packaging?
They are printed on the bottom of cups and the corners of the burger wrappers. The print is so tiny you may not have noticed it.
Rich Snyder, a devout Christian, started the trend during his presidency of In-N-Out Burger in the 1980s.
All In-N-Out Burger produce is fresh.
In-N-Out Burger is proud that its products are made with fresh ingredients.
No frozen or prepackaged products are used on the menu, and In-N-Out makes all items.
They have burger production facilities where the patties are produced using fresh ingredients.
In-N-Out only expanded outside of California in 1992.
In-N-Out Burger has always been proud to be a California chain.
However, they eventually started to branch out across the USA, with the first store outside of California opening in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In-N-Out Burger’s first merchandise store opened in 1989.
In 1975 In-N-Out released their first piece of branded merch, a T-shirt with the design of a “fry” man with the In-N-Out logo. The T-shirt, designed by Snyder, was so popular that he continued creating new designs until 1984.
It has since become an annual In-N-Out tradition to release a new T-shirt design created by popular local artists.
Since then, a variety of In-N-Out-branded merchandise has been made available.
You don’t have to go all the way to their stores to get merch, either, as it’s all available on their website.
In 2018 an old favorite was returned to the menu.
In the 1950s, hot cocoa was on the menu, but it was removed as other drinks were introduced.
In 2018 it was put back on the menu with a new look.
Marshmallows were added to make them extra special to enjoy on rainy days.
In-N-Out Burger started as a small humble venture by a pair of newlyweds and quickly rose to fame. This innovative company has grown into one of the largest fast-food brands in California.
With its long history and cult following, In-N-Out Burger will undoubtedly continue to satisfy burger lovers for years to come.
Next time you’re in the state, why not visit one and see for yourself just how delicious their secret menu is!
