California's Legendary Burger Chain Ranked Best In America Has A Secret Menu And Cult Following

It was the late Anthony Bourdain's first stop whenever he visited California. A favorite Los Angeles celebrity hangout, Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee drove there straight from his Oscar win — gold statue in hand. Chef Gordon Ramsey ate there twice on the same day, pop diva Adele ditched Coldplay's post-Grammy party for a succulent burger rendezvous, and the Kardashians are notoriously big fans, along with a host of other celebs. If you live near one, you know there is a never-ending line of cars waiting for the drive-thru. No matter how you grind it, In-N-Out Burger is one of America's favorite burger chains, and it earns top rank on best-of lists, including Yelp's Top 25 Burger Chains in the U.S.

Visit California calls the state "the birthplace of fast food," and In-N-Out is an integral part of that legacy. Founded in 1948 in Baldwin Park, a hidden foodie utopia in the San Gabriel Valley, newlyweds Harry and Esther Snyder started the now-famous chain from a tiny 100-square-foot building. Rather than let its small size be a deterrent, the Snyders invented the two-way intercom, which increased efficiency with the first drive-thru. With a commitment to high-quality ingredients, In-N-Out's growth was slow but steady. The family-owned brand had only 18 locations by the time of Mr. Snyder's death in 1976. But like the proverbial Tortoise against the Hare, slow and steady helped In-N-Out win the race, building its reputation on quality, freshness, service, cleanliness, a simple menu, and an aura of exclusivity. That ingenious marketing strategy extended to the secret menu, which has amplified the brand's cult-like image.

Smashburgers may be the current rage in Los Angeles, and at first glance, In-N-Out's menu is startlingly simple: burger, cheeseburger, double-double, fries, shakes, and beverages. However, the burger joint has always prided itself on customer satisfaction, and a significant part of that has been accommodating customization and special requests. To simplify common requests, their first secret menu item debuted in 1961, a mustard-grilled beef patty for an extra zing. In the coming years, common requests became part of a secret menu.

Today, their most beloved secret menu items appear on their online menu, hence, the "not so secret" menu. Animal Style is perhaps the most popular, consisting of the burger of your choice with an extra dollop of sauce, the aforementioned mustard-cooked beef, pickles, and grilled onions. Animal Style Fries is everything found on their standard burger, piled atop an order of fries (sans the bun). Protein Style lets carb-conscious diners indulge in their yummy burger in a lettuce wrap. The extreme sports of burgers have to be the 3x3 or the 4x4 — everything in the standard burger multiplied by three or four, including extra slices of cheese. The Flying Dutchman features two slices of cheese between two patties, sort of a burger Oreo cookie, or to complicate things more, ask for an Onion Wrap, which features grilled onion slices as a substitute bun.

Much of the secret menu is all about customization. Don't like chopped raw onions? Just request grilled onions instead. Craving something fancy, like sliced green chiles? Ask, and you shall receive. Neapolitan or black-and-white shakes and cheese fries are some of the lesser-known but cult-favorite secret menu options. Best of all, no side-eye or blank stare.