My First In-N-Out Experience: Animal Fries or No?
I had a mission to visit and eat at In-N-Out. I blame this desire on seeing shows and movies where people sit in their cars with the famous sign behind them, enjoying a burger after a long night or a fight. I felt it was essential to experience In-N-Out for a complete California experience. Yes, I realize it may seem silly to romanticize a fast-food chain, but I feel the same way about another chain—Jack in the Box. After all, I’m from Arizona, and it's just so good.
I had one full, much-needed day to myself in California. I decided to visit Yosemite National Park. I drove a total of 9 hours round trip, not including the time spent driving around the park, but it was absolutely worth it!
As the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with shades of pink, I decided to make a pit stop at In-N-Out to treat myself. This was my best chance to try their famous burger, and luckily, I found one on my way back to San Francisco. I was so excited but a little unsure about what to order. What does one typically get at In-N-Out? Feeling a bit overwhelmed as I approached the busy counter, I panicked and ended up ordering a single cheeseburger with everything, along with fries and a soda.
Naturally, after getting my meal, I took selfies with the famous In-N-Out sign and ate the food in my car while watching the sunset. I wanted to do the whole sitting on top of the car scene, but it was a busy area, and I was already silly dancing in my car while eating—making the guy next to me stare.
Eating alone allowed me to savor each bite while reflecting on the day's adventures and the experience I built up in my head, allowing me to breathe. Traveling with people is super taxing on me, but eating a cheeseburger, especially this one, allowed me to check off another item on my must-do list.
As I unwrapped the cheeseburger, the anticipation of the first bite was palpable. I don’t usually go for cheeseburgers at fast food places; I am more of a chicken girl. But this cheeseburger was different. The first bite was pure bliss. The juicy patty, melted cheese, and fresh veggies were the perfect reward after a long day of driving and sightseeing. Maybe I was super hungry, or maybe it was the magic of Yosemite, but this burger was excellent (the fries were okay at best).
I texted a friend, the same friend who urged me to do that day trip to Yosemite. She asked what I got, and I told her my order. She said it was a solid choice, but I should have also added a chocolate shake.
Fast-forward to my last few hours in San Fran. My cousin and I ran into another In-N-Out, and we ate there for our last meal. This time, I had animal fries, which were not my favorite at all. But the burger was still hands-down the best! I have to be honest; the animal fries didn't quite live up to the hype for me.
I highly recommend you go there. In-N-Out is probably one of the 'cleanest fast foods' because they prioritize cleanliness and quality in their operations. Their burgers are made with high-quality ingredients, including fresh ground chuck and fresh vegetables. The buns they use are made locally. Also, ordering is easy, and their menu is straightforward, focusing on burgers and fries.
Is this the best cheeseburger on Earth? Probably not, but it is hands down the best one I ate from a fast-food standpoint, and it is the only place I will order cheeseburgers! Also, if you really don’t want to travel all the way to California, Arizona has the chain, too, but I wanted my first experience to be in Cali.
What do you think? Would you try one? If you did, what did you think? Especially the animal fries. Did you like them, or were you in the no-animal-fries camp? Share your In-N-Out experience in the comments below!
