I’m a native Southern Californian. I’ve eaten at In-N-Out my share of times, and I’ve got my off-the-menu favorites — Grilled Cheese Animal Style, protein style, wet fries and all that. The burgers are okay. They’re fairly simple. I know they’re made from Harris Ranch beef, but I don’t find the meat all that impressive. The condiments are okay, the buns are good. The fries are controversial — I don’t like them, I think they’re greasy and overcooked.
In-N-Out beats all the usual fast food chains — the clown, the king, the slider, Carl’s. But nearly any other “premium” fast food burger chain has tastier, more interesting variety. Five Guys “all the way,” Freddy’s Steakburgers, Smashburger, Burger Lounge, etc.
At Five Guys it’s about the toppings. The meat is meh, the bun is toasted which is nice, but the overabundance of toppings makes the sandwich. I order it “all the way” but with no lettuce because warm wilted lettuce on a burger isn’t my thing. They also make a great hot dog, split open and cooked on the grill.
There’s a place near me called Hamburger Hut that makes great burgers, as well as tiki drinks. The combination tells you something about the neighborhood.
If I can, I prefer a smaller independently owned place. You buy a burger at the fast food place and compare it to the image on the menu board. You buy a burger at the family place — they may not have picture menus — and it should be very easy to tell which one you’d rather eat. The milkshakes and fries will be much better too.
My list: local independent places first, then The Habit, Shake Shack, Five Guys, Smashburger, In-N-Out, Wendy’s. Then everything else. Then the clown.
McDonald’s Diet Cokes are consistently higher quality than most other chains, and they’re more likely to give you actual Diet Coke rather than accidentally serving you the sugar version. I’ll give them that. I’m still not eating the burger.