In-N-Out Burger: An Unauthorized Behind-the-Counter Look at the Fast-Food Chain that Breaks all the Rules

Sometime during the past 60 years‚ although nobody can pinpoint with any certainty when it occurred‚ In-N-Out Burger ceased to be just a hamburger chain. It is nothing less than a cultural institution that can lay claim to a hysterically loyal cult following. In an industry that has come to symbolize a modern scourge on society‚ responsible for everything from obesity to urban blight to cultural imperialism‚ this modest‚ low-slung eatery with the big yellow arrow is unique among fast-food breeds: a chain revered by epicureans and hamburger aficionados; by anti-globalization fanatics and corporate raiders; by meat-eaters and even vegetarians.

In fast-food corporate America‚ In-N-Out stands apart. It is a family-owned chain that steadfastly refuses to franchise or be sold. Moreover it is an incongruous testament to old-fashioned values‚ reminiscent of a simpler time when people‚ loyalty‚ and a freshly made juicy hamburger meant something.

In-N-Out began simply enough. It was one of a handful of hamburger stands that sprang up in Southern California following World War II. It was 1948‚ a period of sun-drenched optimism. Harry Snyder‚ a former G.I.‚ and his wife Esther‚ a former navy surgical nurse‚ moved from Seattle to Baldwin Park‚ an unexceptional town of small‚ stucco ranch houses‚ clipped lawns‚ and restless teens that would soon transmute into yet another car-obsessed suburb of Los Angeles. And the Snyders‚ like thousands of other new arrivals‚ came‚ lured by the promise of opportunity‚ mild climate‚ relatively inexpensive real estate‚ and the overwhelming buoyancy of unprecedented growth hitched to an economic rocket.

IN-N-OUT BURGER is the story of where the fast food industry began but not where it ended up. This is the story of a unique and profitable business that not only defies all expectations but also exceeds them. It is a lesson in the sly counterintuitive approach to doing business that places quality‚ the customer and employees first. The chain has launched a subculture of diehard fanatics that cross all sociological boundaries. This is a keenly observed narrative that explores the evolution of a California fad that transformed into an enduring cult of popularity; it is also the story of the unpretentious and ultimately tragic Snyder family that cooked a billion burgers and hooked zillions of fans. Finally‚ as the story of In-N-Out unfolds‚ so too does the cultural history of America as influenced and shaped by car culture and fast food.