It's good until you've had Shake Shack or Steak n Shake. Both have much tastier burgers IMO. In-N-Out is fine, and I don't have a problem with them, but I'm also not over the moon about it and truly don't understand the 30-minute drive-through lines at their locations. More power to 'em, I suppose, but it's really just a super-basic burger done fairly well for a good price.
I've enjoyed burgers at the Habit, and at Five Guys, and I still love In-N-Out. It's even possible that 5 Guys or the Habit have tastier burgers. However, In-n-out burgers are almost half the price, and the drive through service makes me genuinely pleased every time I go. Best drive through process I've ever seen -- people taking your order before you get to the speakers, a window to take your money, a window to give you food, and every post staffed by cheerful, helpful people.
I've even taken the time to find their website and say, "wow, I'm impressed by the good service I've seen here, there, everywhere", which is something I can't usually be bothered to do for any other restaurant.
I'm not sure how much of my enjoyment of them is due to nostalgia, consistently excellent service, or maybe a pareto optimal price-vs-taste point? ;)
We frequently stop at the Culver's in Bowling Green, Kentucky, on the way from here to somewhere else. There are restaurants in Tennessee which are closer, but we never seem to pass them near meal times.
As Culver's is a Wisconsin thing, I'm not at all surprised that they showed up in Arizona.
I recently visited the first Five Guys franchise in germany and got really disappointed. The meat itself is better than the burgers at McDonalds or Burger King, but the rest of the burger is equally bad.
There are at least two local burger chains around the serve way better burgers for an equal or even slightly lower price.
So unless Five Guys really messed up in their first german location, I just don't understand why it is so famous in the US.
Maybe he's just really elderly? Every time I've been in one of those (not just at 4 PM) it has been like activities time at the old folks' home. There must be something about that food that really appeals to 80yo's... do they just like patties that have been smashed too thin?
Perhaps it's just fond memories? Steak n Shake was a lot better for many years. But their service and quality tanked after the new (current) CEO came in, back around 2008 or so.
Shake Shack is pretty much tops, Texas’s Whataburger is the only other one close. In and Out is essentially the West Coast Whataburger.
A friend of mine is opening a new burger chain in Houston called Burger Libre — essentially a Shake Shack with a Hispanic twist.
Regardless of everyone’s preferences, it’s a good time to be a burger fan in the US. I live in France and just paid €15 for cheeseburger and fries at a local cafe in the south. Insane how expensive hamburgers are in France. $18.30 for a bistro cheeseburger! Pre-tax that is $14.66. Then take away the “service charge” and that’s $12 for a burger that is functionally equivalent to In and Out et al.
I get Shake Shack has a nice anti-chain image. And the ingredients might be more in line with the customers values.
But do people really enjoy the taste of Shake Shack burger more than In-N-Out?
I don't understand it. The aesthetic is cool, milkshakes are great, and maybe you like crinkle fries more.... but the secret menu has a Peanut Butter burger! That's kinda gross.
Maybe its just my location (Las Vegas) but I don't get the hype at all. Plain cheesburger to cheeseburger Shake Shacks burgers just don't appeal to me.
If someone with a more mature palate can explain the appeal of the burgers it would be appreciated.
> I live in France and just paid €15 for cheeseburger and fries at a local cafe in the south.
Tell me about it. I live in the UK and it's a similar story. People rave about Byron burger for some reason, but it's pretty bad in my opinion (soggy onions, mediocre patty) and also costs well over 10 quid. My favorite in the UK is probably GBK, but it's easily 15 quid for burger and chips. I really miss In-N-Out. Epic Burger in Chicago is also really excellent, but hitting $10 territory.
What do you think of HopDoddy? I travel to Dallas fairly often, I've always thought they were really good. But the prices are quite "European" once you add the tip (don't get me started on that debate...)
