Anyone else think In-N-Out is incredibly overrated? (Vista: fit in, architecture)

[DowntownVentura]

Originally Posted by BacktoBlue

It sucks. I want something other than just 3 choices

It turns out there are other restaurants. I would be surprised if anyone here eats and In-n-Out daily.

[miyu]

It's overrated but still something that I like to eat from time to time... I think it's because I crave the animal style. But the buns, meat, fries aren't exceptional.

Even exceptional $16 burgers are kinda gross after awhile.

[Introvertere]

Given the choice, I'd pick Tommy's or Fatburger over In-N-Out every time.

But a double-double, protein style with extra tomatoes is pretty awesome for the money.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Introvertere

Given the choice, I'd pick Tommy's or Fatburger over In-N-Out every time.

But a double-double, protein style with extra tomatoes is pretty awesome for the money.

I have heard great things about Tommy's, as for Fatburger, I have only had a couple but the big difference is price. We are talking IN&Out for less than $2 compared to twice that much. I would hope a burger costing $4 or more would offer a little more than a $2.00 burger. I think that is what makes In&Out so popular, fresh ingredients, real pieces of tomato, lettuce and onions (not diced) and the price.

Nita

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by MIKEETC

Since we're talking about other burger places, I'll give credit to Burger King and their Whopper series of burgers. Perfect when there's no INO around...

Me too, we do love the Whopper...Actually, we don't eat much fast food period and of course do not have InO here so have to get our fill when we are in the west, but both are good. When I see someone talk about fast food isn't good for us, I have to agree, on the other hand, I don't think most of us are talking "fast food" as our daily menu requirements. At least I know we aren't.

Nita

[GregHenry]

Originally Posted by Lumerian Feast

I apologize in advance for the sacrilege.

I don't get why there would be any sanctity associated with In-N-Out. It's not like it's an old-timey hole-in-the-wall burger joint in a dark, musty old-time East Coast city. It's just a big chain with boring burgers and bad fries.

Is California so new and its culture so shallow that unimpressive corporate burgers served from strip-mall outlots are what evokes back-home yearnings?

The allure for In-N-Out seems to be reducible to exactly this point: Californians grew up with it, and there's not a lot of food original to California. It's not that great, but it's their foundational memories, and it's from where they are, so they'll stick by it.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by GregHenry

I don't get why there would be any sanctity associated with In-N-Out. It's not like it's an old-timey hole-in-the-wall burger joint in a dark, musty old-time East Coast city. It's just a big chain with boring burgers and bad fries.

Is California so new and its culture so shallow that unimpressive corporate burgers served from strip-mall outlots are what evokes back-home yearnings?

The allure for In-N-Out seems to be reducible to exactly this point: Californians grew up with it, and there's not a lot of food original to California. It's not that great, but it's their foundational memories, and it's from where they are, so they'll stick by it.

Not so fast. I'm originally from California, a native, but didn't grow up with it. At my age, In-N-Out is a relative newcomer to the fast food genre. I was in my mid- to late-40s before I ever had one.

Having said that, as fast food goes it's fresh, nothing's frozen, the service is quick and the price is right. That doesn't make it gourmet by any means but I dare say it's healthier than many places and it's patties aren't frozen pieces of cardboard. I find all those facts to be major pluses.

Original foods? French dip, sour dough bread, Cobb salad, chili-size, cioppino, Rice-A-Roni, hangtown fry, green goddess dressing, chicken tettrazzini, celery victor, crab louis, mai tais, martinis, irish coffee, chop suey, super burrito...

And let's not forget beers like Anchor Steam and many others.

[LeftyTrav]

It's a good burger for a chain. That's really about it. Anyone who is exalting it above this level is, in my opinion, overrating the burger. There are many, many independent burger joints that do a MUCH better burger.

Ask yourself this: If at home using a good ground chuck as your starting point, would In-N-Out's end product look like yours? Didn't think so.

They are good for the price, good for the situation. Nothing more.

Another thing to add. Growing up in SoCal, I saw numerous situations where people would flock to an eating place that served substandard crap. Tito's Taco's is a classic example, and although Pink's hotdogs isn't bad, it most certainly doesn't warrant the attention it gets. What happens here is that when people see a line, they assume the food must be worth the hassle. Once they've sampled the very average cuisine, they either don't have the taste buds to know better, or are reluctant to go against popular opinion and dare say that what they've just eaten doesn't measure up to the hype, thereby risking a verbal hazing. It's easier for some to simply go with the flow.

[TurcoLoco]

Originally Posted by MIKEETC

For those prices, they better be...!

Another place that I've heard is good (but never had the chance to visit), is Five Guys.

Been to 5 Guys a few times (with a group). Tasty burgers and fries and portions are huge but as you said, with those prices, they better be. I get the Jr. size burger and as a group, we share fries between 2-3 people, otherwise most of it goes to waste. They should give no more than half as much and charge you half but that is probably another good profit source much like sodas.

You could eat much better food at a regular restaurant and it would probably cost you less even but once in a blue moon, why not.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by GregHenry

I don't get why there would be any sanctity associated with In-N-Out. It's not like it's an old-timey hole-in-the-wall burger joint in a dark, musty old-time East Coast city. It's just a big chain with boring burgers and bad fries.

Is California so new and its culture so shallow that unimpressive corporate burgers served from strip-mall outlots are what evokes back-home yearnings?

The allure for In-N-Out seems to be reducible to exactly this point: Californians grew up with it, and there's not a lot of food original to California. It's not that great, but it's their foundational memories, and it's from where they are, so they'll stick by it.

Flyover country checking in, ladies and gemmums.