An East Coast girl learns the "In-N-Out"

In-N-Out

Burger Flavor: 3

Creativity (selection): 1

French Fries: 3

Juiciness: 3

 Bun: 2.5

Atmosphere: 3

Service: 3.5

Back in April, following my post ABOUT In-N-Out, I was lucky enough to TRY In-N-Out. I had a planned trip to Vegas (my first) from the 8th to the 11th. Vegas is one tiny, adult playground amid a massive desert. I saw my hotel & the entire strip before the wheels on the plane could stop. As me and my fellow travelers rode along in the short taxi ride, what was I to see in the distance?? The bright, rectangular sign that could only be In-N-Out. I was shocked. Floored. I Thought, "Wait. How?" Ohhh, right, I'm in the west. "Vegas" to me was such a definitive destination. It was just plain Vegas. I forgot in the process that I was also still in America and, more specifically, in the west. In-N-Out exists here! My buddy Erica and I ventured there on our last day sometime between sunbathing at the pool & dinner at the Paris.

It. was. packed. I'm not sure if it was because of the inevitable tourists, marveling at the western fast food gem, or if it was just that good. I'm thinking it's the latter because most of the people I encountered during the trip were from the midwest. We were definitely from the furthest west, and most of these people have In-N-Out already by them.

Anyway, we made our way up the front and the line moved fast. They took our order at the registers and gave us a number. It took longer than McDonald's to be called, but less time than Five Guys. (seriously, WHY does it take so long at Five Guys?) Since we were planning on dinner in a few hours, Erica & I (die-hard, had to try these burgers fanatics) ended up getting 2 burgers, sharing the fries, and a milkshake for each of us. We did good. Plenty of room for a French dinner later on.



We ate outside at one of those round tables. When they called our number we retrieved our feast and brought it outside (no servers on skates). We were immediately approached by a bunch of black guys, one declaring he was Michael Vick's brother. Really man? I'm about to dig into an In-N-Out burger, you know, the ones celebs eat ALL the time. Leave me be.

The burger was better than I expected for fast food. The non-sesame bun was greased, but not soaked. I'm not a big sauce girl (I like the burger to stand on its own to a certain extent, though I've been known to add guac to my burgers :) so I could have done without the Thousand Island-type spread, but it wasn't overpowering the beef, so I dealt. Chopped lettuce has got to be one of the tell-tale signs of a fast food burger. You haven't indulged in a FF burger if you aren't left with some brown-edged scraps of iceberg adhered with mayo onto the bottom of the cardboard burger box. This too, included chopped iceberg. Leafy Romaine is my personal fave.

The overall quality of the patty was good. It didn't crumble & it had adequate juicyness. The beefy flavor was top notch. Not just for fast food, but for life. They take pride in the quality of their ingredients. 100% beef and ground in CA--Cowtown, USA. The fries were good, but this time, for fast food. Nothing I can't get at the McD's in Union. The shake was probably the best part & a wise decision by both of us. My chocolate was equal parts thick & fulfilling and refreshing & light. Delicious.

I am DEFINITELY not forgetting the next time I'm heading west that I am, indeed, heading west & will try In-N-Out once more. At these prices, you really can't beat it.

Cheeseburger: $2.05

Fries: $1.35

Shakes: $1.95

Review at a glance: Fievel Goes West. 50s style. CHEAPO prices. Filling, not heavy. Pickles. No Celeb sitings. 100% beef, 100% bun, 100% shake. A sure bet in Vegas.


All bets in.........................

 2.8 Patty Prize!

More than halfway to a perfect burger spot. I can't wait to visit again, but it's definitely the prices and simple menu that make it more appealing than the standard fast food joint.