In-N-Out

[Pete]

In-N-Out has limited ordering because they want to make everything fresh and then hand it directly to you, rather than making something in advance for pickup; or have the food be cold by the time you pull up at the drive-thru window.

At some of their locations, they have workers with portable devices taking orders in the drive-thru ala Chick-Fil-A.


BTW, it's the same kind of crazy busy at California Trader Joe's and not much better at Costco. Every time I go in those place here, lots of people are commenting on the crowd and all I can think is, "You have no idea how good you have it".

I remember having to stock up on dog food so I could completely avoid Costco in December. Most of the time you could literally not find a parking space no matter how far away you were willing to go. Many, many times I'd set out for Costco or TJ's and turn right back around. And the same is true at In-N-Out.

[Plutonic Panda]

The Costco in particular in Santa Monica/Venice/West LA area is stupid busy. As expensive as it would be, I wish we they’d build in Hollywood.

[soonerguru]

Someone tell me about this Jack in the Box. Never really ate there for some reason. Is is actually good?

[Pete]

The Costco in particular in Santa Monica, West LA is stupid busy.

They all are out there!

I had two of them near me in Thousand Oaks and they were almost as bad.

[Pete]

Someone tell me about this Jack in the Box. Never really ate there for some reason. Is is actually good?

Californians call it Gag in the Bag or Jack in the Crack.

It's typical fast food IMO.


Del Taco is another California export and it is miles better than Taco Bell or most Mexican fast food. It's all pretty fresh and they actually have some healthy options.

El Polo Loco is better yet and they can't get here soon enough. All their chicken is marinaded and charbroiled and darn good. Lots of burritos and taco but also salads and heathy options. It's my favorite fast food place by far.

[soonerguru]

Perfect opportunity Governor. Sell her on the benefits of life in Oklahoma and we might get some more burger joints.

In-N-Out Heiress Lynsi Snyder Selling $17M California Estate | PEOPLE.com
https://www.google.com/amp/s/people....de/%3famp=true

Maybe the governor can recommend she buy a home next door to Elon Musk.

[soonerguru]

Californians call it Gag in the Bag or Jack in the Crack.

It's typical fast food IMO.


Del Taco is another California export and it is miles better than Taco Bell or most Mexican fast food. It's all pretty fresh and they actually have some healthy options.

LMAO at the JITB nicknames. I got pretty excited when Del Taco came in, and it's still pretty darn good, but Taco Casa is way better, IMO.

[PaddyShack]

Someone tell me about this Jack in the Box. Never really ate there for some reason. Is is actually good?

Meh, this is all going to be personal taste and opinion, but I always found them average for their price. Obviously not as cheap as McDonald's. We don't have one in our vicinity, as in Braum's and Whataburger are closer than Jack in the Box so we hardly go.

[Plutonic Panda]

They all are out there!

I had two of them near me in Thousand Oaks and they were almost as bad.

The Thousand Oaks is my to go but I’ve been going to Walmart lately in Van Nuys. I’d be really happy if they could build a Walmart around Hollywood somewhere. There’s a huge demand it seems like for those type of stores in central and west LA. They keep opening new higher end grocers like Erwons, Whole Foods, and Gelsons and they are all packed from day one. There’s a huge relatively new Ralph’s, new Whole Foods, and gelsons all within a few miles of each on Ventura and they are always packed.

[PaddyShack]

LMAO at the JITB nicknames. I got pretty excited when Del Taco came in, and it's still pretty darn good, but Taco Casa is way better, IMO.

I don't understand the draw for Taco Casa, we think Del Taco is much better. Is there some secret menu at Taco Casa that we need to ask for?

[barrettd]

Fat Burger is good. They are expanding in Fort Worth. I think they’d do well here. A Fat Sals would be nice too.

I also preferred Fat Burger to In 'n Out when I lived in Southern California. I'd definitely go there if we had one. That charred bacon cheeseburger with a fried egg on top...

[Pete]

^

It's very good but the name isn't helping Fat Burger.

And not really fair to compare to In-N-Out as a loaded Fat Burger alone can cost over $10.

[Plutonic Panda]

One place expanding in LA right now is Egg Tuck. I’d like a place like or an Egg Slut.

[soonerguru]

I don't understand the draw for Taco Casa, we think Del Taco is much better. Is there some secret menu at Taco Casa that we need to ask for?

I could say the reverse about Del Taco. 1. I think their meat tastes better. 2. Their cheese tastes real. 3. The ones I have been in are always immaculately clean. 4. Their beans are better.

Not really a secret item but if you get their Super Burrito it will be better than any fast food burrito you will eat. Before Taco Bell was purchased by Pepsico, and later YUM Brands, the old Burrito Supreme was excellent. The Taco Casa version is like that but with better ingredients.

I tried the Super Taco recently and it was also delicious.

For beans and bean burritos, Taco Bueno used to be the go to, but that company is a shell of itself now and just completely unreliable. It is reliably dirty.

So, Taco Casa offers very real ingredients, excellent, well-staffed restaurants that are consistently clean, and very good basic fast-food Tex-Mex items. It's very hard to beat.

I will say that I had stale taco shells at the location in Midwest City once, so nothing's perfect. And, to add, I like Del Taco too, I just don't think the ingredients are as good.

[jcraiglcsw]

^

The In-n-Out's in Texas still have very long waits; the one in Frisco has been open for nearly 10 years.

I understand that many people don't think their burgers are all that great, but many, many more love them, especially for the price and service.

That's the draw for me, there are better burgers but you can't do much better for the price. Love that the fries are fresh as well.

Pete, what is your best guess on any chance we see any come up to OKC now that they've expanded in DFW?

[barrettd]

^

It's very good but the name isn't helping Fat Burger.

And not really fair to compare to In-N-Out as a loaded Fat Burger alone can cost over $10.

Yes, your posts have reminded me how inexpensive In-N-Out actually is for the quality, even though I was not much of a fan.

In Santa Clarita, the In-N-Out and Fat Burger were about the same distance from our office, so if we were having burgers, it usually came down to those, hence the comparison. Next level up, at the time, would have been Red Robin or some such burger joint, I think.

Anyway, simply comparing burgers to burgers, I'm a Fat Burger guy.

[Pete]

^

I only ate a Fat Burger a couple of times because they were generally contracting when I lived out there.

But it was darn good.

[barrettd]

The last time I ate a Fat Burger I was in Vegas, severely hungover. It was delicious. If it's the last one I ever eat, I'm OK with the memory of that one.

[corwin1968]

Someone tell me about this Jack in the Box. Never really ate there for some reason. Is is actually good?

Personally, I think Jack-in-the-Box burgers suck...really badly. REALLY BADLY. I love their tacos and egg rolls, but that's about all I've tried there that was good.

[Pete]

^

You should have seen the lines at California Jack in the Box drive-thrus after midnight (and often much, much later since they are open 24 hours).

All the partiers loading up on bags full of their fried tacos. It was somewhat of a tradition.

People are simultaneously repulsed and drawn to the deep-fried greasiness with a triangle of American cheese. Someone once described them as "a warm envelope of cat food".

[soonerguru]

^

You should have seen the lines at California Jack in the Box drive-thrus after midnight (and often much, much later since they are open 24 hours).

All the partiers loading up on bags full of their fried tacos. It was somewhat of a tradition.

People are simultaneously repulsed and drawn to the deep-fried greasiness with a triangle of American cheese. Someone once described them as "a warm envelope of cat food".

Hold on a minute: deep fried tacos? Hell to the yes. But American cheese tho.

[soonerguru]

One description of JITB tacos: "A wet envelope of cat food." Hmm.

https://www.mashed.com/227211/everyt...he-boxs-tacos/

[corwin1968]

Hold on a minute: deep fried tacos? Hell to the yes. But American cheese tho.

I almost used the term "cat food" in my post, because it's a very accurate description, but I've never encountered triangles of American cheese on a Jack-in-the-Box taco. I love them because when they fry them, the top mostly closes up, which helps keep everything together and because the shell is moist (soaked in grease?), it doesn't break up like other tacos. The sauce is already on there. Delicious and up until very recently, they were two for $1.

[Roger S]

People are simultaneously repulsed and drawn to the deep-fried greasiness with a triangle of American cheese. Someone once described them as "a warm envelope of cat food".

I used to joke that I saw a box behind a JitB for their taco meat that said "MAY CONTAIN BEEF".

[progressiveboy]

In-N-Out overall is a good product. The food is always fresh when I have eaten there. The price point is good as well.