Eric and I decide to stop for lunch just after 12:00 pm. I expect we will be waiting in a long line for fast food.
IN-N-OUT Burger is number 42
on the
2015 QSR List of Top 50
Fast Food Restaurants by Sales.
I am impressed. This is a regional Fast Food Chain's 301 restaurants generated $584 million in sales in 2014.
Outdoor seating is popular
The young man standing
beneath the tree is wired
to take orders from people
waiting in the takeout lane.
This additional person helps speed drive through orders during the busy lunch hour.
Eric waits in line while
I grab an empty booth.
The open kitchen is very clean, as is the rest of the restaurant.
IN-N-OUT Burger's menu is
quite small.
Quality you can taste.
IN-N-OUT Burger uses
only fresh, locally
sourced food.
Nationwide growth is not central to
IN-N-OUT's business strategy. Starting in 1948 in
Irvine,
California, this privately owned company decided to keep it simple. The menu remains simple. It hasn't grown in an effort to compete with other Fast Food Chains.
Keep it fresh. All the restaurants are located within 200 miles of the company's distribution centers. There are no freezers at the restaurants to hold frozen hamburger patties and frozen French Fries. All the food is fresh and prepared in front of the customers. There's no salvaging dropped ingredients from the floor while the public looks on.
Keep it clean... the entire restaurant looks new. There's no discoloration from grease on any of the walls. The furniture is in good condition. A staff member walks the dining room helping diners clear their tables and wipe down tables and seating for the next customers.
Eric told the person who
took our order that this
is our first visit.
He received a paper hat
& was asked to return
to tell the staff about
our dining experience.
The trays are deep to accommodate the partially wrapped hamburgers and trays of French Fries.
Diners start out eating
burgers with wrapping
around its base.
Dillon stopped by with
IN-N-OUT Burger
stickers for us.
He is very proud of the company he works for and shared the company's strategy of serving only fresh foods, keeping the menu simple and creating hamburgers for individual tastes.
IN-N-OUT Burger is loyal to its employees. Their pay rates are higher than industry standards. The staff work flexible schedules, are promoted from within the company, have access to 401K retirement plans...
I was surprised to find
information about hand
cut French Fries at the
bottom of the Fries tray.
Eric returned to the counter to tell the staff that we enjoyed our lunch and expect to return for more Good Eats.
It's obvious to me that IN-N-OUT Burger developed its brand and is very loyal to it through changing times. Diners return regularly and get exactly what they expect, fresh hamburgers and French Fries prepared in immaculately clean kitchens and dine at clean, comfortable restaurants.
