In-N-Out

[john e. holliday]

I take it to mean an eating place from the responses on Howards thread.   Not what some of us old geezer might think.  I remember going to a AT&T hands on school in Columbus Ohio.   Every body talked about the White Castles.  Buy them by the sack.  I had heard pros and cons about them and never tried them until one opened in Overland Park KS.   I tried the regulars with fries and a chocolate shake .  The fries were good and the shakes were super thick.   What kept me going back was the double cheese.   Two double cheese, fries and chocolate was my standard order until they went out of business.  No more White Castles in KC area.

I know it's not truly model related, but I remembered passing a Jack-in-the-Box on the way to Tuscon.   Wife would never let me stop.  Now we have one within a mile of that go to once in a while for their breakfast.  This is what was great about the NATS moving around the country.   

[Ken Burdick]

about half way to Portland, from Seattle, is a place called Mrs Beasley's. It has great old fashioned milkshakes including banana. The burgers used to be pretty good but better health regs several years ago, took the med burgers to cooked till over done. I stop there on my way back from the Oregon contests and pick up a large shake....usuall takes an hour of pulling on the straw to drink it. 

[Brett Buck]

I take it to mean an eating place from the responses on Howards thread.   Not what some of us old geezer might think.  I remember going to a AT&T hands on school in Columbus Ohio.   Every body talked about the White Castles.  Buy them by the sack.  I had heard pros and cons about them and never tried them until one opened in Overland Park KS.   I tried the regulars with fries and a chocolate shake .  The fries were good and the shakes were super thick.   What kept me going back was the double cheese.   Two double cheese, fries and chocolate was my standard order until they went out of business.  No more White Castles in KC area.

   White Castle and In-N-Out could not be more different - opposite ends of the spectrum of fast food burgers. The reason In-N-Out have not expanded as fast as others is that they use only fresh meat which, I believe, is never frozen. The supply chain is very difficult.They only existed in Southern California for a long time because you couldn't ship the ingredients much further than that every single morning.

   White Castle is hyper-heavily processed and mostly grease. They also have the hallmark characteristic that led to them being called "sliders" - super-fast-acting laxative effects. Might be the grease, might be the bacteria, who knows? Everybody sells "sliders" meaning a tiny bite-sized hamburger, but tiny and bite-sized did not earn them the name sliders. Six sliders, and you had better not be too far from home.

     Brett

[Brian Massey]

   White Castle and In-N-Out could not be more different - opposite ends of the spectrum of fast food burgers. The reason In-N-Out have not expanded as fast as others is that they use only fresh meat which, I believe, is never frozen. The supply chain is very difficult.They only existed in Southern California for a long time because you couldn't ship the ingredients much further than that every single morning.
     Brett

In-N-Out's growth is also slowed by the fact it is family owned, no franchising going on. There menu was, and remains very simple; just the basics that got them where they are. They also pay the help well. "Hamburger flippers" are paid will over minimum wage, and managers well into the 6 figure range.

I-n-O started in So Cal, along with another of my favorites; The Hat. No holds barred, the best pastrami sandwich on the face of the earth! Also family owned, and sadly not interested in much expansion. I think they have only about a dozen stores even though they've been around since '49 or so.

Good Eats!

Brian

[Dennis Adamisin]

      White Castle is hyper-heavily processed and mostly grease. They also have the hallmark characteristic that led to them being called "sliders" - super-fast-acting laxative effects. Might be the grease, might be the bacteria, who knows? Everybody sells "sliders" meaning a tiny bite-sized hamburger, but tiny and bite-sized did not earn them the name sliders. Six sliders, and you had better not be too far from home.

     Brett

YEAH man, White Castles are GREAT!

[Randy Ryan]

OK, my White Castle story. in 1968 I held the local record for the most WCs eaten at a single sitting.

1 order of fries
1 chocolate shake
28 WCs

We were in my 60 Olds 88 and I stacked the cartons like a wall on the dash. I was "it" for about an hour but as any WC aficionado knows well, the gas production prompted by these delicious little bombs can be overwhelming, and everyone that came to the window of the car was overwhelmed and cut their congratulatory visit short! My best friend Greg, who was convinced he could out slide me, was in the back seat in pain having only been able to absorb 24 of the little nuggets before his gastrointestinal tolerance became negative.

I don't know how long my record stood, it was a long time before I did the WC again but I do enjoy a couple of them now and then and that story always makes me smile.

[Howard Rush]

John, you have Winstead's.  Why would you want to leave KC?  Heck, I had a Wolferman's English muffin for breakfast today.

[FLOYD CARTER]

I've carefully avoided McDonalds over the years (for good reasons).  I have since discovered their great coffee, which is Starbucks.  Additionally, a cup goes for 75 cents, for us Senior Citizens.

Floyd

[Brett Buck]

I was "it" for about an hour but as any WC aficionado knows well, the gas production  <<snip>>

  Gas if you're lucky.

    Brett

[Larry Borden]

Tried In-N-Out when I was in CA, a couple of times. Wasn't Impressed. Whataburger is still my favorite.
Service and quality is the same, no matter where you are, at least here in Texas. Ride Texas magazine constantly rates them high for motorcyclists.

[Gerald Arana]

I've carefully avoided McDonalds over the years (for good reasons).  I have since discovered their great coffee, which is Starbucks.  Additionally, a cup goes for 75 cents, for us Senior Citizens.

Floyd

Yes! And they give a refill too! My every morning spot. 

Jerry

[Bill Adair]

One of the first White Castle restaurants in St. Louis MO (Maplewood) was less than a mile from our home, until we moved to the farm just before my seventh birthday.

Two bits (25 cents) got me six WC burgers, using a newspaper coupon! There was always a pile of fried chopped onions on the grill, and they covered the little square burgers with them before putting the burgers on the buns. I'm sure they used Crisco for cooking oil, or possibly lard. No Ketchup, Mustard, or other seasoning was needed. The smell was mouth watering, and I still miss them!

I've tried later White Castle burgers both fresh, and frozen, but there is no comparison to the originals.

Bill

[Tom Niebuhr]

In the NY/NJ area we called White Castle "Rat Burgers"

[Dave Harmon]

In-N-Out's growth is also slowed by the fact it is family owned, no franchising going on. There menu was, and remains very simple; just the basics that got them where they are. They also pay the help well. "Hamburger flippers" are paid will over minimum wage, and managers well into the 6 figure range.

I-n-O started in So Cal, along with another of my favorites; The Hat. No holds barred, the best pastrami sandwich on the face of the earth! Also family owned, and sadly not interested in much expansion. I think they have only about a dozen stores even though they've been around since '49 or so.

Good Eats!

Brian

Oh man.....The Hat!!
I've been to the Pasadena location quite a bit and I can confirm the pastrami is to die for and if you've never had gravy fries......
I'm not quite dead yet but an order of gravy fries may make it happen......just too good to describe!!
I never did like IN-N-Out fries much...they are edible for sure but they kinda have a weird taste to me....MCDucks fries are the best.

[Randy Ryan]

 Gas if you're lucky.

    Brett

At 18 that was easy

[Mike Keville]

How about the chicken quesadilla ("kay-sah-DEE-ah") at Los Betos?  That's a Southwestern thing.  Next time you're in Tucson, give it a shot.  Pure delight!

In the far Northeast, there's "Red's Eats"....a small shack in Wiscasset, Maine, that serves the best dam# Lobster Roll in the USA.

[john e. holliday]

John, you have Winstead's.  Why would you want to leave KC?  Heck, I had a Wolferman's English muffin for breakfast today.

Winstead's is not like it used to be.  Lately it is Stake N Shake  double burger with fries or onion rings with large coke.  When in Tuscon it is Tiny's out towards Tuscon Estates. They have they call 1/4 pound steer burgers with fries.   Aunt Betty and Mother couldn't believe I ate two one night.

[Norm Furutani]

If you fly at Whittier Narrows (SoCal), there's a Hat a few miles north on Rosemead and if you go a few miles south, an In N Out plus an Original Tommy's!

[Howard Rush]

Winstead's is not like it used to be.  Lately it is Stake N Shake  double burger with fries or onion rings with large coke.

Steak & Shake is a Hoosier thing.  I hit several when I get in range on Nats trips.  The farthest west I remember one is in Coralville, Iowa.   I like the burgers, but not the shakes.  Speaking of Iowa, Iowans rave about Maid Rite, a greasy, boiled ground beef burger alternative.  I think it's an acquired taste. 

Sorry to hear that about Winstead's.  I stopped by the original a few years ago on the way to the Nats, and indeed it wasn't as wonderful as I remembered. 

The most peculiar burger place I've been to lately is Hudson's in Coeur d' Alene.  I was sent there by a native.  I had two burgers there, and everybody stared at me when I got up to leave.  Seems nobody leaves after two burgers.  The locals sit there eating burgers all day.   

[Brett Buck]

Speaking of Iowa, Iowans rave about Maid Rite, a greasy, boiled ground beef burger alternative. 

   *Boiled*!?  That might be the wrongest thing ever.

    Actually, not. I hear some people boil nature's perfect food - bacon.

    Brett

[Brian Massey]

If you fly at Whittier Narrows (SoCal), there's a Hat a few miles north on Rosemead and if you go a few miles south, an In N Out plus an Original Tommy's!

Tommy's is another GREAT place for a burger. Years ago I was at the original stand at Beverly & Rampart in downtown LA waiting in line to order. The guy in front of me ordered his burger without chili. The order taker turned and yelled out, "One Sissy Burger". Everyone laughed. It's a very messy burger to eat, but simply delicious.

Brian

[JIM Nordin]

Comparing In-N-out to white castle  in like comparing a good steak to can of spam . White Castle is nasty

[Shug Emery]

I miss Waffle House. We don't have them in Minnesota and I grew up having Waffle House when I wanted it in NC. You never miss something until you can't get it.
Shug

[Clint Ormosen]

I miss Herfy's Burgers. Haven't seen one since I was ten, but man! Good burgers.

Not a big fan of In-n-Out. They're not gross, but Micky D's and Jack in the Box is better.

[Mike Keville]

. . .  but Micky D's and Jack in the Box is better.

========================================
Jumbo Jack w/cheese . . . yummm!

[RC Storick]

Aside from going to the first In-N Out we also use to go to the first Bob's Big Boy

[dave siegler]

The reason In-N-Out have not expanded as fast as others is that they use only fresh meat which, I believe, is never frozen. The supply chain is very difficult.They only existed in Southern California for a long time because you couldn't ship the ingredients much further than that every single morning.

   
     Brett

In-N-Out are in Texas (Austin) 
While I like them they are way over rated.  In-N-Out just wants to be a clicky place with a limited menu, limited access and better t shirts than food.


Culver's doesn't freeze their meat and are all over the country now.

5 guys don't freeze their meet either and they are everywhere.

No you can get quality unfrozen ingredients anywhere locally if you are wiling to pay. 

[Brett Buck]

In-N-Out are in Texas (Austin) 
While I like them they are way over rated.  In-N-Out just wants to be a clicky place with a limited menu, limited access and better t shirts than food.


Culver's doesn't freeze their meat and are all over the country now.

5 guys don't freeze their meet either and they are everywhere.

No you can get quality unfrozen ingredients anywhere locally if you are wiling to pay. 

   Right, but not from the In-n-Out warehouse in Southern California. I am not great fan either, but they wanted to run it entirely from their own supply chain for many years.

     brett

[Randy Ryan]

We got a Culver's here several years ago, great burgers but my X hated them, go figure.......

[Jim Kraft]

Well, like they say, if we all loved the same thing we would all love my wife.

[RC Storick]

I am not sure what In-N-Out has done today. When it first opened on Fransquito the served hand made burgers from a 10x10 shed on the side of the road. Everything changes.

[Paul Walker]

Aside from going to the first In-N Out we also use to go to the first Bob's Big Boy

Years ago I worked at Bob's Big Boy!

[Ken Burdick]

The in and out was in "The Big Lebowski"....it wins

That rug really tied the room together.

[Jim Dincau]

I have liked In-N-Out since they had the food concession at Irwindale drag strip back in the 70's, a great plain hamburger. Tommy's is good as long as you get them with chili their burgers without aren't so good.

[11290]

ShakeShack has them "all" beat, at least the SS's here in the Orlando area. Right there with In-N-Out though.  IMHO of course

[Larry Renger]

Don't forget In n Out's secret menu. Animal style burgers and fries, wellies, protein style, Nopolitan shakes, giant shakes and more! Do a search on secret menus on the web for many chains hidden treasures. 

[Paul Walker]

Don't forget In n Out's secret menu. Animal style burgers and fries, wellies, protein style, Nopolitan shakes, giant shakes and more! Do a search on secret menus on the web for many chains hidden treasures. 

Yes, that's what I have when I go in....a protein style burger.

[Ron Anderson]

If it's not on a BUN it's not a BURGER!!!