Diners Say This Is The Biggest Problem With In-N-Out

Even the most popular restaurants aren't without weaknesses. Five Guys is known for it burgers, for example, while also criticized for its brown bag full of greasy, soggy french fries. The same can be said about In-N-Out's fries. 

Though some customers are perfectly fine with the french fries, many believe they're bland and soggy. "Too small, undercooked, and under-seasoned. Even if you eat them immediately, they lack crunch and flavor," one Redditor says. "In-N-Out has easily the worst fries." Another Redditor keeps it real: "In-N-Out fries suck. They're always soft and limp. I don't even order fries anymore. I order a second hamburger instead." Other commenters say the fries go cold too quickly and "evolve into a styrofoam consistency." The overwhelming feedback seems to go back to the fries' unappealing texture and lack of seasoning, with one commenter saying the fries are geared to someone's palate from the 1950s. Though this California-based burger chain has become all the rage over the last 80-ish years, it's the burgers — such as the famous "not so secret menu" 4x4 — that keep customers coming back.

Part of the issue with In-N-Out's fries is its process. The burger chain is dedicated — admirably — to using fresh potatoes cut in-house. While other chains, such as McDonald's, use fries that are partially cooked and frozen offsite, In-N-Out does the opposite. Its workers also only drop the fries in the fryer once, which is almost unheard of when it comes to making crispy fries with a fluffy interior. Some Michelin star chefs, including Heston Blumenthal, even triple cook fries.

To counter the natural sogginess of In-N-Out's once-cooked fries, many customers order them "light well" or even "well done." These fries stay in the fryer longer, but one worker on Reddit says there's no guidance on how long to keep them frying: "As for light well fries, there's not really a consensus (that I'm aware of) for how much longer light well means, so often it's just eyeballed. Sometimes that works, other times it doesn't." If you're tired of In-N-Out's often-criticized soggy, bland fries, order them this way and see how it goes. As always, results may vary by location.

We've haven't even mentioned one of the most special ways to order In-N-Out's fries: Animal Style — a modification on its "not so secret menu" that covers the fries in melted cheese, grilled onions, and the chain's housemade spread. If sogginess is the issue, we're not sure Animal Style fries fixes the problem with added cheese and spread, but it kicks up the flavor a good bit. All that said, we appreciate In-N-Out's dedication to fresh, not frozen, french fries. But, based on plenty of reviews, let's hope the chain eventually finds a way to crank out something better than soggy, bland fries.