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In-N-Out Burger, usually called In-N-Out, is a chain of fast food restaurants located in the Western United States. Founded in Southern California in 1948 by Harry Snyder and his wife Esther, and headquartered in Irvine, CA, In-N-Out Burger has since expanded to the rest of the state, and to Arizona, Nevada, and southern Utah as well.[2] In-N-Out has never franchised, and plans to remain privately owned.[3] The In-N-Out restaurant chain has developed a loyal customer base[4][5][6] and is one of the few fast food chains in the United States to pay its employees significantly more than state and federal mandated minimum wage– starting at $10 per hour in California, as of January 2008.[7] The In-N-Out logo has become an iconic image and symbol of Southern California culture.[8]
[edit] History[edit] Founding
In-N-Out's first location was opened on October 22, 1948 by Harry Snyder and his wife Esther Snyder at the northwest corner of what is now the intersection of Interstate 10 and Francisquito Avenue in the Los Angeles suburb of Baldwin Park, California. According to the company website, the Snyders had a simple plan which is still in use today:
A second In-n-Out was opened in the San Gabriel Valley three years later, and the company remained a relatively small Southern California chain until the 1970s. After Harry Snyder's death in 1976, only 18 stores were in existence. Harry was 67 years old.[9] [edit] Second generation and expansionIn 1976, Rich Snyder became the company president after his father's death. The young president was 26 years old. Along with his brother Guy, Rich had reportedly begun working in his father's In-N-Outs "from the ground floor" at an early age. Over the next twenty years, the chain experienced a period of rapid growth under Rich's leadership, expanding to over 90 stores.[10] Then, on December 15, 1993, Rich Snyder and four other passengers died in a plane crash on approach to John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California after opening store #93 in Fresno, California.[11] Snyder was aboard a charter plane. The charter aircraft had followed a Boeing 757 in for landing, became caught in its wake turbulence, and crashed. The crash investigation led to the FAA requirement for an adequate distance between heavy aircraft and following light aircraft, to allow wake turbulence to diminish. Upon his death, Rich's brother Guy Snyder assumed the presidency and continued the company's expansion into the 1990s. In 1992, In-N-Out opened its first non-Southern California restaurants in Las Vegas, Nevada. Expansion then began into Northern California, including the San Francisco Bay Area, while additional Las Vegas-area restaurants continued to open. Then, in 1999, Guy also passed away at a young age. The third president died from an overdose of the pain-killer Vicodin.[5] He was only president for 6 years, but in this time In-N-Out had expanded from 93 to 140 locations.[12] Esther Snyder, Guy's mother and one of In-N-Out's original two founders, subsequently took the presidency. [edit] A new ageLocations in Arizona were established in 2000. In-N-Out opened other Nevada restaurants in Reno, Sparks, and Carson City in fall 2004. In-N-Out became a huge success in these new locations. In 2007, the opening of the first store in Tucson broke company records for most burgers sold in a day and in a week.[13] While the company grew, it struggled to maintain its family roots. Esther Snyder died in 2006 at the age of 86 and passed the presidency to Mark Taylor, former vice president of operations. Taylor became the company's fifth president and first outsider to hold the position, although he does have ties to the family. The company's current heiress is Lynsi Martinez, daughter of Guy and only grandchild of Harry and Esther Snyder. Martinez, who was 23 years old at her grandmother's death, will gain control of the company in stages over 12 years.[14][15] In 2006, a lawsuit exposed a possible family feud over the chain's corporate leadership. Richard Boyd, one of In-N-Out's vice presidents and co-trustee of two-thirds of the company stock, accused Lynsi Martinez and allied corporate executives of trying to force out Esther Snyder and attempting to fire Boyd unreasonably. Pre-empting the suit, Martinez, Snyder and Taylor appeared in a December video message to employees, telling them not to believe everything they hear.[4] The company then responded with a lawsuit of its own, alleging that Boyd had construction work done on his personal property and charged it to the company, as well as favoring contractors with uncompetitive bids.[5] Boyd was then suspended from his role as co-trustee and Northern Trust Bank of California took his place (as co-trustee) until a hearing set for May 10, 2006. However, in April the judge dismissed two of In-N-Out's claims against Boyd. A trial date of October 17, 2006 was set but never occurred,[16] and a settlement was reached out of court. Ultimately, Boyd was permanently removed from his role as an employee and co-trustee.[17] In-N-Out soon became involved in yet another lawsuit. In June, 2007, the company filed suit against an American Fork, Utah restaurant named "Chadders" for trademark infringement, claiming that the "look and feel" of the restaurant too closely mimicked In-N-Out, and that the restaurant violated trademarked menu items, such as "Animal Fries."[18] A judge issued a temporary restraining order against the look-alike, but the issue has yet to be definitively resolved.[19][20] [edit] Menu
In-N-Out has a limited menu consisting of only three different sandwiches: the hamburger, cheeseburger, and "Double-Double" (double meat/double cheese). French fries and fountain drinks are available, as well as three flavors of milkshakes. The hamburgers come with lettuce, tomato, with or without onions (the customer is asked upon ordering, and may have them fresh or grilled), and a sauce, which is called "spread." There are, however, additional named items that are not on the menu, but are available at every In-N-Out. These variations reside on the chain's "secret menu," which is not really a secret, and is accessible on the company's web site.[1] These variations include 3x3 (which is has three patties and three slices of cheese), 4x4 (like the 3x3 only with 4), neopolitan shakes, flying dutchman (two patties, two cheese, no buns or condiments). By adding patties at an additional cost, one can conceivably create a burger of any size. 100x100 burgers have even been ordered before. [21] As of recently, the highest amount of patties assembled can only come out to a 4x4. Anything higher will have to be purchased as a lower amount of patties in a burger and assembled by the customer themselves. [edit] Store design and layout
The signature colors for In-N-Out are white, red, and yellow. The white is used for the buildings' exterior walls and the employees' basic uniform. Red is used for the buildings' roofs and the employees' aprons and hats. Yellow is used for the decorative band on the roof and iconic zig-zag in the logo. However, variations in the color scheme do occur. The first In-N-Outs had a common design, placing the kitchen "stand" between two lanes of cars.The "front" lane is nearest the street, and the "back" lane away from the street. A metal awning provides shade for several tables for customers desiring to park and eat, but there is no indoor dining. A walk-up window faces the parking area. In these stores, storage of food and supplies is in a separate building, and it is not uncommon for a driver to be asked to wait a moment while employees carry replenishments to the kitchen across the rear lane. This simpler design is a popular image on In-N-Out ads and artwork, which often shows classic cars such as 1965 Mustangs and 1968 Firebirds visiting the original stores. The original Covina store, located on Arrow Highway west of Grand Avenue, was forced to close in the early 1990s due to re-engineering and development of the area. A modern design, drive-up/dining room restaurant was built a few hundred feet away. The new building is much larger (approximately half the size of the entire lot upon which the earlier restaurant sat), and is often filled to capacity. 
Like many chain restaurants, newer In-N-Out stores are based on a set of templates or "cookie-cutter" blueprints, which are chosen based on available space and expected traffic levels. However, some stores are designed to be unique to fit into the surrounding architecture, or to stand out. Notable "unique" In-N-Out locations include the store on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, the restaurant in Westwood in Los Angeles and the restaurant in Valencia. Today's typical location has an interior layout which includes a customer service counter with several computers and registers in front of a kitchen and food preparation area. There are separate storage areas for paper goods (napkins, bags, etc.) and "dry" food goods (potatoes, buns, etc.), as well as a walk-in refrigerator for perishable goods (lettuce, cheese, spread etc.), and a dedicated meat refrigerator for burger patties. The customer area includes an indoor dining room with a combination of booths, tables, and bar-style seating. Outside seating is usually available as well, with tables and benches. Most newer restaurants contain a one-lane drive-through. 
There are other design elements common among today's In-N-Out locations. Matching In-N-Out's California-inspired palm tree theme, palm trees are sometimes planted to form a cross shape in front of the stores. This is an allusion to founder Harry Snyder's favorite movie, Stanley Kramer's It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World in which individuals look for a hidden treasure and find it under "the big W" made by four palm trees, with the middle two forming an 'X'. [edit] Advertising
In-N-Out has a dedicated fanbase, and benefits highly from the positive word of mouth spread by its enthusiastic following. The company assists their fans in propagating its iconic label by displaying In-N-Out clothing in every store, which is readily available online, something unique for a fast food chain.[2] The chain has many celebrity fans (see below), and enjoys a variety of free endorsements from the media. When Heisman Trophy winner and Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith went into a passionate description of the restaurant at the BCS National Championship Game podium, Executive Vice President Carl Van Fleet was quoted as saying, "It does not get much better than that for us, we're kind of a small company, and we do not have any celebrity endorsers. But I think we just got the best one we could have."[3] As another example, the 1998 cult classic The Big Lebowski contains a scene with the main characters happily enjoying their In-N-Out burgers. The well-known "secret menu" and hidden passages on products may also function as a form of viral marketing. In some cases, In-N-Out directly uses its positive image and dedication to quality as a selling point. This is most evident in its two slogans: "Quality You Can Taste," and "Cleanliness You Can See." The company's use of references to the bible and reputation for unique employee benefits may more indirectly propagate this positive image. The references to its Southern California roots (such as the palm-tree motif) most likely appeal to its niche California market, and may even appeal to others outside California. Like other chains, In-N-Out uses billboards strategically located on roads leading to individual restaurants, with relevant information such as distance to the restaurant and driving directions. These ads commonly feature the recognizable image of a Double-Double. In keeping with their image, commercials are usually understated and straight-forward. Radio commercials are common in some areas. The commercials are short, and are generally limited to a characteristic jingle: "In-N-Out, In-N-Out. That's what a hamburger's all about." Television commercials are less common. When the ads do appear, the visual appeal of the hamburger is generally the sole focus. In-N-Out very rarely relies on spokespersons or actors for its commercials, although at one time John Cleese and John Goodman voiced radio spots. In the past, the Snyders also sponsored Christmas music programming and gave voice-overs expressing the meaning of the holiday. [edit] Culture[edit] Popularity
The burger chain has achieved widespread popularity which has lead to celebration by some when brought to new locations, and the opening of a new restaurant often becomes an event. When one opened in Scottsdale, Arizona, there was a four-hour wait for food, and news helicopters whirled above the parking lot.[22] The chain's image has also made it popular in more non-traditional ways. For example, In-N-Out is still considered acceptable in some areas with a strong opposition to corporate food restaurants, such as McDonald's. When the location at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf opened, local business leaders said that they opposed every other fast food chain except In-N-Out because they wanted to maintain the flavor of family owned, decades-old businesses in the area.[6] The chain has vocal celebrity fans which leads to publicity in news articles on them, and has also been featured in movies. [edit] Bible references
In-N-Out prints discreet references to Bible verses on their paper utensils. The print is small and out of the way, and only contains the book, chapter and verse numbers, not the actual text of the passages. The practice began in the 1980s during Rich Snyder's presidency,[23] a reflection of the beliefs held by the Snyder family.
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