In-N-Out Burger

As soon as my foot hits the warm California pavement, the carnivore in me comes out. I know: Sounds weird that a Texan goes to California for a good burger, but Cali, after all, is home to In-N-Out.

In-N-Out Burger is the fresh fast food with a cult-like following. And to me, it’s the very antithesis of McDonald’s... In-N-Out is still a family-owned business, nurtured and grown over the years primarily through word-of-mouth advertising. They pay employees well and offer benefits like paid vacation, health insurance, and a 401k. Golden Arches? Not so much.

The menu exudes simplicity. You can get a hamburger, a cheeseburger, or a double-double, plus fries, a drink, or a shake. Nada mas. And everything -- from burgers to fries to shakes -- is made fresh on location. No freezers allowed.


Now that’s all well and good, but how does it taste? FRESH. The burgers are something special, old-fashioned, but without a lot of hullabahoo. The fries are definitely missing that extra something which only the fryers at McDonald’s seem to contain -- let’s call it grease from 1982 -- but the burgers and shakes more than compensate. Like they say, it’s quality you can taste.

I miss it already.