Why You Should Never Ask For An In-N-Out Burger With Everything
You're probably drooling over the thought of a perfect In-N-Out cheeseburger with fries right now. It's understandable; In-N-Out is a classic burger and milkshake joint on the West Coast that serves up all different kinds of cheeseburgers, hamburgers, fries, and shakes. It's a joint you have to visit when you're on the West Coast and it's the perfect meal for those of us lucky enough to already be near one.
In-N-Out's website says they have provided us with mouth-watering burgers since the 1940s. Its first burger was served in California by husband and wife duo, Harry and Esther Snyder. Ever since then, In-N-Out has been satisfying all our cravings when it comes to a good old fashion juicy burger.
Although In-N-Out started out with a simple burger and fries order, things have changed since the 1940's and the restaurant has expanded to have not just a short menu with plain cheeseburgers and hamburgers as your only option. It also has what they call a "Not So Secret Menu" and countless options for what goes on your perfect burger and fries.
Because they have expanded their menu, it can become a bit confusing when it comes to ordering that perfect burger. Contrary to popular belief, a burger with "everything" doesn't necessarily give the right connotation.
Confusion from the word everything
According to an In-N-Out employee on Reddit, ordering a burger with "everything" can be a little confusing for the people taking the orders. The user writes that asking for a burger with everything "might confuse your order taker since we can't know for sure if you are including onions, pickles, chiles, etc, or not."
Even though the burgers are shown with different toppings on their menus and photos, according to In-N-Out's website, the standard toppings for an In-N-Out burger are spread, tomatoes, and lettuce. Employees always ask if you also want onions on the burger, since that is also shown as a topping on the menu.
In-N-Out's menu is so expansive that they could include countless toppings when it comes to "a burger with everything." Your idea of "everything" may be very different from our idea of "everything" which is different from the employee's idea.
Our advice when it comes to ordering your ideal In-N-Out burger is to read the menu and have an idea of what toppings would make your burger the best burger. Then when it comes to ordering that burger, be ready to be specific about what you do and do not want on it. No one is going to be upset by someone who knows what they want.
So study up the In-N-Out menu, figure out what toppings are best for you and your In-N-Out experience, and don't forget to try their animal-style fries and a chocolate milkshake while you're there!
Other mistakes you may make at In-N-Out
Special requests that are more or less understood at mainstream fast food restaurants may be interpreted a bit differently at In-N-Out. As the California burger chain's menu is simultaneously complex and simple, newcomers to the In-N-Out scene may be a bit overwhelmed by the menu's names for its items despite the menu not actually having that much on it. After all, if products aren't bad, why clutter the menu with extra offerings?
For example, just as ordering "everything" on a burger may be interpreted as ordering a burger with literally every topping on it, you may make the mistake of ordering peppers on your burger without understanding what sort of peppers they are. While you may think you're getting a few slices of jalapeno or banana pepper on your Double-Double, according to Texas Tito's, you're going to be taking a bite of Cascabella peppers. Cascabellas are hotter than your average banana pepper, so as long as you're comfortable with a bit more heat than you were expecting, you're free to order as many peppers as you like.
You should also keep in mind that In-N-Out has a somewhat more complex labeling system for its cheeseburgers than most places. According to an In-N-Out employee on Reddit, a Double-Double is essentially a burger with two beef patties and two slices of cheese. So, if you ask for a Double-Double with cheese, you'll be getting a burger with far more cheese than you were expecting.
Frustrating orders are common at every fast food restaurant
If you've ever found that you've made a mistake at In-N-Out, you shouldn't be too embarrassed. Orders that can lead to embarrassing or even frustrating moments are a dime a dozen in fast food chains, so it's nothing the world of fry cooks and cashiers hasn't heard before.
For example, Chick-Fil-A's milkshakes don't come in small, medium, and large sizes like you would potentially think. Instead, they come in just one size. For instance, you can't order a large chocolate shake or a small vanilla shake, since those sizes don't exist. Pizza Hut, despite its boasting that no one can "outpizza the Hut," may have a few bones to pick with those who request specialty crusts. One former Pizza Hut worker on Reddit referred to the preparation of the Stuffed Crust pizza as "torture," with many fellow employees rallying around their hatred for the limited-time Cheesy Bites crust.
At your local Mcdonald's, too, you're probably better off skipping ordering unsalted fries, as, according to some employees, you'll hold up the drive-thru line while workers make a new batch of fries for your order. Workers apparently especially dislike when customers do this and then ask for salt packets on the side, though some may be watching their sodium intake for health reasons.
While embarrassing and frustrating orders are common from everywhere from In-N-Out to McDonald's, as long as you treat the employees right and with respect, you'll have nothing to feel ashamed about.