10 Facts About In-N-Out's Burger Only A Fanatic Would Know

In-N-Out Burger — the name alone evokes images of perfectly wrapped, juicy burgers, crispy French fries, creamy milkshakes, and a California sunset. This fast food burger chain has been flipping patties and serving customers with a smile since 1948. For many native Californians, it's an iconic, nostalgic pleasure that's been a staple in their fast food chain rotation. One of the first things a native Californian will ask another is the crucial question: what's your go-to In-N-Out order? Whether it's a double-double with no pickles or a protein-style with extra onions, most people will agree it's one of the best fast food joints to grab a burger.

For the true fanatics, though, In-N-Out is more than a fast-food chain. The hidden secrets and facts of the West Coast chain run much deeper than the average cheeseburger connoisseur might know, with a history of quirky traditions, innovative inventions, secret menu items, and a jargon all its own. If you want an insider's scoop on this beloved fast food chain, you might want to read these 10 facts about In-N-Out Burger that only a fanatic would know.

California is known for its amazing universities. From Stanford University, sitting in the heart of Silicon Valley, to UCLA nestled in the bustling city of Los Angeles, the state is filled with world-class educational institutions that attract students from around the globe. However, there's one that many people don't know about — In-N-Out University in Baldwin Park, California.

The university building sits on the same property where the founders Harry and Esther Snyder's former house once stood. The training facility has been in operation since 1977, but it wasn't until 1984 that the building was officially named In-N-Out University. Since its opening, almost all entry-level managers attend In-N-Out University to learn all the ins and outs of customer service, food preparation, and keeping the restaurants clean and orderly. According to the In-N-Out website, Rich Snyder (the founder's son) created the university concept to maintain a steady flow of quality service and to ensure their motto, "Quality you can taste," is implemented throughout every store.

In-N-Out's commitment to quality extends to every aspect of its restaurants, including the burger patties. Unlike many fast food chains, In-N-Out only uses fresh, never frozen beef — specifically, 100% USDA ground chuck. All of its burger patties are free from any additives, preservatives, and fillers.

Often, fast food chains in the United States rely on frozen burger patties due to the low cost and convenience — however, In-N-Out sticks to its mission and provides all its locations with fresh patties. The West Coast burger chain operates three patty-making facilities located in Baldwin Park, California, Dallas, Texas, and Lathrop, California. Every location must be within 300 miles of a patty-making facility to receive fresh ground beef.

The chain's dedication to quality and tasty food doesn't stop at the burger patties. All its produce arrives fresh at every location. Each head of iceberg lettuce is carefully hand-leafed to select only the best pieces, while tomatoes and onions are sourced to meet the company's high standards for freshness and flavor. Even its burger buns are made from old-fashioned, slow-rising sponge dough. Since everything is delivered fresh weekly to every location, its kitchens don't even have microwaves or freezers to store ingredients.

In-N-Out is slowly updating a few of its classic recipes, which is quite a rare move for the famously consistent fast food chain. While details are limited, possible motivations include improving ingredient quality, adapting to supply chain shifts, or aligning with evolving health and sustainability trends. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, the fast food chain is in the process of changing its signature pink lemonade and beloved strawberry milkshake recipes to remove red dye No. 40. Furthermore, the company is also replacing high-fructose corn syrup with cane sugar in its ketchup recipe.

For those who don't know, Red Dye No. 40 — also known as Allura Red AC — is a synthetic food coloring that's one of the most common artificial dyes in the food industry. It's typically used to give food and drinks a bright, cherry red color. Recently, it has been under quite a bit of controversy due to health concerns raised in various studies. CNN reported that California has recently banned red dye No. 40 from food and drinks sold in public schools, citing potential health risks associated with artificial food coloring. In-N-Out is one of the first fast food chains in the nation to modify its recipes after the recent FDA announcement requesting companies to immediately remove another synthetic food coloring, red dye No. 3, from its products. Research suggested it could cause cancer in rats.

Beyond the iconic yellow bent arrow, one of the most recognizable features of an In-N-Out location is the quirky pair of crossed palm trees. These aren't just a random landscaping choice — the fast food chain strategically plants two crossed palm trees at every location to serve as a visual landmark, making its store instantly identifiable from a distance. The design embodies California's laid-back, beachside energy while reinforcing the brand's West Coast identity across state lines with locations in Nevada, Texas, Colorado, and Texas.

According to In-N-Out's website, the reason the palm trees are crossed is because the founder, Harry Snyder, loved the look of them in the movie, "Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World." Ever since the 1970s, a pair of red crossed palm trees has been a part of the In-N-Out landscape design and logo. Almost every fast food chain has a stylized logo as a visual representation of the company. McDonald's has the golden arches, Taco Bell has its iconic bell logo, Jack-In-A-Box has its quirky clown mascot — but In-N-Out has red-crossed palm trees and a cooler, Californian feel to it, making it stand out amongst fast food chains.

Sticking to its fresh, never frozen motto, In-N-Out handcuts its French fries in-store daily and deep-fries in 100% sunflower oil. Each location receives whole potatoes, which are then washed, peeled, and sliced through vintage-style French fry cutters. Sources claim that In-N-Out uses Kennebec potatoes to make its French fries, which are a potato variety known for high starch and sugar content, making them perfect for frying.

While In-N-Out has many devoted fans, some diners find that its fries are less crispy than other competing fast food chains such as McDonald's or Five Guys. People often complain about the French fries being a bit too soft and mushy with a more starch-forward flavor. However, that's partly due to it being made from fresh potatoes that are fried only once, rather than twice like many competitors. If the lack of crispy, crunchy texture is bothering you, try ordering your fries "well-done," which means they're cooked a bit longer for extra crispiness.

Amongst other things, the fast food chain is famous for its "secret menu." Think of the secret menu as an insider club that is really only known by locals. It's not advertised on menus in any of their 418 locations; however, the employees know the secret combinations and are happy to prepare these off-menu items for customers who ask.

One of the most popular secret menu items is "Animal Style," which can be applied to both burgers and French fries, featuring mustard-grilled burger patties, extra pickles, grilled onions, and another spoonful of Spread sauce. Pro tip: If you don't like grilled onions, you can opt for cheese fries instead. Besides the legendary Animal Style, the secret menu includes grilled cheese for anyone who doesn't eat meat, the "4x4" (four burger patties and four slices of cheese), "Protein Style" (lettuce-wrapped instead of the bun), and "Flying Dutchman" (two cheeseburger patties sandwiched between two thick grilled onion slices). You can also order root beer or cola ice cream floats and any milkshakes mixed with another flavor. Some customers get a little wild and request the "Neopolitan," mixing together milk chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. It's often found that In-N-Out employees will make any combination you request as long as they have the ingredients and time to prepare the order.

In-N-Out's founder didn't just create delicious cheeseburgers and fries; he completely revolutionized the fast food industry by introducing the first two-way speaker system. In 1948, Harry Snyder invented the speaker system and installed it at the original Baldwin Park location. This amazing innovation allowed customers to order without leaving their cars or speaking to an employee face-to-face. At the time, most fast food restaurants required hungry customers to walk inside or have their orders taken from their cars by an employee called a carhop. The system was pretty simple; the customers would drive up to a speaker box, place their order, and then proceed up to the window to receive their order from an employee. This concept transformed the entire food industry, and by the 1970s, almost every fast food chain in the nation followed the same template and made their own two-way speaker system.

Nowadays, drive-thru speaker systems are a major contributor to fast food chains' annual income. According to a research article conducted by Polaris Market Research in December 2024, the U.S. quick service industry is valued at $289.68 billion in 2024, with over 50% of that revenue coming from drive-thru sales. Therefore, Snyder's invention of the two-way speaker system is one of the most influential contributions to the fast food industry, allowing companies to tap into this convenient sales method.

While many corporate fast food chains focus on profits, In-N-Out demonstrates its commitment to community welfare through its charitable foundations. The company established a child abuse prevention foundation called the In-N-Out Burger Foundation, as well as a substance abuse and "Slave 2 Nothing" foundation, dedicated to combating substance abuse and human trafficking. Both foundations are a remarkable example of corporate philanthropy and donate 100% of proceeds to their causes.

The In-N-Out Burger Foundation is a nonprofit, founded in 1984 by cofounder Esther Snyder and her son, Rich. The foundation was created from the family's genuine commitment to protecting vulnerable and displaced children. It provides residential treatment, emergency shelter, foster care, and early intervention for any child in need. In 2024, the foundation raised and donated $4.7 million for 390 organizations across eight states.

The Slave 2 Nothing foundation was founded by the current owner and president of In-N-Out, Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson, and her husband, Sean Ellingson, in 2016. The couple created the foundation to help those who are enslaved by any person or substance in the eight states where In-N-Out does business. The foundation is primarily funded by donor contributions and fundraising activities. In addition, the fast food chain pays all costs associated with the Slave 2 Nothing foundation, so every dollar can help those in need.

While most diners know In-N-Out from its white and red painted buildings filled with palm trees and long drive-thru lanes, not many are aware of its mobile catering service. The In-N-Out Cookout Truck is a unique extension of the brand's commitment to quality service and tailored community engagement. The trucks offer freshly made cheeseburgers, drinks, and French fries or chips, cooked onsite for private events and special occasions. You can order the truck for your office holiday party, neighborhood block party, and even for your wedding.

Unlike other catering options where the food is sitting under heat lamps, the In-N-Out truck delivers the same quality service just like its storefronts. The truck is stocked with a team of employees that will set up a complete cooking operation onsite. The burger patties are cooked to order, veggies are sliced onsite, and the buns are toasted just before service. Every order is made by ticket, maintaining the same standards you'll get from any In-N-Out location.

There are three different Cookout Trucks you can order: the standard Cookout Truck (only burgers, drinks, and potato chips), the Fry Cookout Truck (burgers, French Fries, and drinks), and lastly, the Esther Snyder Truck, which serves miniature burgers and fries. The best part of the Esther Snyder Trucks comes at an additional 15% cost, which will be donated to the In-N-Out Burger Foundation to prevent child abuse.

Continuing its steady and strategic growth, In-N-Out has been bringing its beloved burgers to communities across the West Coast and Southwest to over 400 locations in eight states. With locations in states such as California, Colorado, Texas, Oregon, Idaho, and Arizona, In-N-Out Burger was widely known for its limited geographic expansion. That was until the company announced in a 2023 press release its expansion to the Southeastern state of Tennessee by 2026.

In-N-Out Burger is widely known for its limited geographic expansion. This is primarily due to its commitment to only using quality ingredients and its unique burger patty processing facilities. It prioritizes fresh, never-frozen ingredients and operate a limited number of company-owned locations rather than franchising, so when In-N-Out announced its expansion into Tennessee, it was quite a rare move for the company. This milestone has marked a shift in its growth pattern, representing its furthest eastward push since the fast food chain was founded. As reported by Newsweek, the company will also be opening a new headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee, to help facilitate and manage its eastern U.S. operations. If you're a Tennessean who's been wanting to try a delicious In-N-Out cheeseburger, you'll finally get your chance without having to make a pilgrimage to California or one of its other Western locations.