Why You Should Never Order This In-N-Out Item Straight From The Menu

In-N-Out burgers are something of an obsession for many burger lovers. For others, it may be the grilled cheese or something off the not-so-secret menu. But while the small yet simple regular menu and the secret menu are both legendary, there is one item you'll want to skip the next time you visit the chain that helped shape America's drive-thru culture. In-N-Out's fries are just not great. More specifically, the plain fries listed on the regular menu are a bit lackluster and leave a lot to be desired. But that doesn't mean you should skip them altogether. Instead, explore a french fry upgrade for your meal that you won't ever forget.

There is a lot to be said for the way In-N-Out prepares fries. Potatoes are hand-peeled and cut in-house right in front of customers before they're dropped in the fryer. You know, without a doubt, that you are getting fresh fries, not a frozen potato product. Unlike other chains that use oils like canola oil, peanut oil, or combinations of oils, In-N-Out uses sunflower oil, which has a high smoke point and neutral flavor, so the fries come out evenly cooked and tasting like potatoes. But even though the potatoes are fresh, they come out pale, limp, and only lightly salted. In other words, boring, short on flavor, and a sad letdown next to burgers that even professional chefs often hail as their favorite. 

This brings us back to In-N-Out's secret menu, which gives you some options for an upgrade. Ordering them Animal Style, which takes the basic fries and tops them with cheese, grilled onions, and spread (the chain's secret sauce), is a fan favorite. You won't find this on the regular menu, but the secret got out long ago and any In-N-Out team member will know exactly what you want.   

Animal Style is, hands down, a great way to order fries (and burgers) at In-N-Out, but it isn't the only way to improve your fry experience. If you love the pure potato flavor of the chain's fries but hate the texture, there's an easy hack for that. Simply ask for them well done. Well-done fries are kept in the fryer longer, so they come out a bit crispier, a bit darker, and surprisingly, a bit like potato chips. Not quite the crispy golden fries at chains like McDonald's, but those fries have a few extra ingredients snuck in, unlike the fries at In-N-Out, which are still pure potato — well done or not. 

If you like the texture of In-N-Out's fries but want some extra flavor, you can take a cue from the Animal Style secret menu hack and request a simpler variation of it. All you have to do is ask for spread only, cheese only, grilled onions only, or any combination of the three. My personal favorite is Animal Style without the onions — they make the fries a bit too sweet for my tastes. And of course, you always have the option of hacking the menu on your own by ordering a single patty (no bun or toppings) and crumbling it up on top of your fries. If you've also ordered those fries Animal Style, you'll have a meal that is as tasty as a burger stuffed with french fries.