In-N-Out Burger: A Behind-the-Counter Look at the Fast-Food Chain That Breaks All the Rules |  | Author: Stacy Perman
Publisher: HarperBusiness
Category: Book
List Price: $24.99
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Rating:  48 reviews
Sales Rank: 44,269
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 352
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.2
ISBN: 0061346713
Dewey Decimal Number: 647.9573
EAN: 9780061346712
ASIN: 0061346713
Publication Date: April 1, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com Review
Amazon Best of the Month, April 2009: With In-N-Out Burger: A Behind-the-Counter Look at the Fast-Food Chain That Breaks All the Rules, BusinessWeek writer Stacy Perman presents a chronicle of how a family-run California hamburger joint went on to become an American pop culture icon. Founded in 1948 by Harry Snyder and his wife Esther in Baldwin Park, CA, In-N-Out Burger attracted a cult-like fanbase of cruising teens, surfers, and celebrities alike (who developed a secret shorthand for custom orders). As they expanded slowly over the years across California and into Nevada, Arizona, and Utah, they never sacrificed their core customer-service values and commitment to quality. Their made-to-order success story packs enough family drama to fuel an HBO miniseries. After Harry died in 1976, his son Rich took over the business (and was responsible for adding discreet Bible verses to In-N-Out cups and wrappers) until his death in a 1993 plane crash. His brother Guy, a drag-racing rebel with a dark side, stepped in to helm the business until his accidental overdose in 1999. If you've never had an In-N-Out burger, Perman's book just might inspire you to find a good reason to get yourself to Southern California and seek out an off-the-menu 3x3 with a side of Animal Style fries. --Brad Thomas Parsons
Author Stacy Perman's Guide to In-N-Out Burger's "Secret Menu"
Except for the addition of 7-Up and Dr. Pepper, In-N-Out Burger's menu has remained much as it was when the chain opened its first drive-thru in Baldwin Park, California in 1948. However, at some point in time, a "secret menu" emerged. Something of an insider's code, it is an off-menu series of variations on the chain's standard fare (Double-Double, hamburger, cheeseburger, and french fries) that has been passed on entirely by word-of-mouth through the years.
Although the "secret menu's" origins remain a mystery, part of its existence can be explained by the fact that In-N-Out Burger has always insisted on cooking-to-order each individual burger any way a customer wanted it prepared. Over time, several of these variations gained traction and somewhere along the way a number of them were given their own names. While frequently steeped in rumor and apocryphal tales the "secret menu" is almost always used by those In-N-Out customers in the know.
These are the most popular "secret menu" items. In-N-Out Burger has listed them on their website (and even trademarked their names):
Double Meat: Two beef patties, lettuce, tomato, spread, (optional onions) on a toasted bun.
3x3: Three beef patties, lettuce, tomato, sauce, three slices of American cheese, (optional onions) on a toasted bun.
4x4: Four beef patties, lettuce, tomato, sauce, four slices of American cheese, (optional onions) on a toasted bun.
Grilled Cheese: Two slices of melted American cheese, lettuce, tomato, sauce, (optional onions) on a toasted bun.
Protein Style: Any burger served sans bun and wrapped in lettuce.
Animal Style: Any burger with mustard cooked beef, lettuce, tomato, extra sauce, pickle, and grilled onions on a toasted bun. (Note: the Grilled Cheese can also be prepared Animal Style)
A few more "secret" variations that have made the rounds for those in the know:
X x Y: Any number of beef patties with corresponding slices of American cheese (note on one memorable Halloween evening in Las Vegas a group of friends famously ordered and consumed a 100x100).
Flying Dutchman: beef patty or patties and American cheese slice(s) no vegetables or bun.
Veggie Burger (sometimes called a Wish Burger): no beef or cheese, just lettuce, tomato, or (optional) onions on a toasted bun.
Extra Everything: just like it sounds--extra sauce, tomato, lettuce, and onions served grilled or raw.
Chopped Chilies: mild chopped peppers are added to any burger.
The "secret menu" also extends to a variety of french fry variations:
Animal Style Fries: an order of fries slathered in melted American cheese, sauce, and grilled onions.
Fries Light: reduced cooking time resulting in softer, chewier french fries.
Fries Well-Done: increased cooking time resulting in crispier, browner french fries.
Cheese Fries: french fries bathed in melted American cheese.
Onion Variations:
The usual scenario is a whole slice of fresh onion cooked with the burger but In-N-Out will serve onions grilled, raw, and chopped if asked.
For those really in the know:
If you ask an associate at the counter they will give you a serving of yellow chili peppers.
Pickles are added only upon request.
Product Description
The untold story of the renegade burger chain that evokes a passionate following unlike any other In fast-food corporate America, In-N-Out Burger stands apart. Begun in a tiny shack in the shadow of World War II, this family-owned chain has steadfastly refused to franchise or be sold. It is a testament to old-fashioned values and reminiscent of a simpler time when people, loyalty, and a freshly made, juicy hamburger meant something. Over time, In-N-Out Burger has become nothing less than a cultural institution that can lay claim to an insanely loyal following. Perman uses her investigative skills to uncover the story of a real American success story. It is not only a tale of a unique and profitable business that exceeds all expectations, but of a family's struggle to maintain a sustainable pop empire against the industry it helped pioneer, internal tensions, and a bitter lawsuit that threatened to bring the company to the brink. This is a lesson in a counterintuitive approach to doing business that places quality, customers, and employees over the riches promised by rapid expansion. In-N-Out Burger 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 conflicted, secretive, and ultimately tragic Snyder family who cooked a billion burgers and hooked a zillion fans. As the story of In-N-Out Burger unfolds, so too does the cultural history of America as influenced and shaped by car culture and fast food.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 48
 RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "QUALITY, CLEANLINESS, AND SERVICE!" April 23, 2009
Rick Shaq Goldstein (Danville, Ca, USA)
27 out of 32 found this review helpful
This is the life story of Harry and Esther Snyder and their family... and their one of a kind AMERICAN-SUCCESS-STORY IN-N-OUT-BURGER. The reader is taken from the Snyder's humble family beginnings... their falling in love... both their military service... the birth of their children... and their personal doggedness that led from one small fast food burger shop... to the current "cult-classic" chain that numbers over two-hundred locations. And it all started with Harry's mantra... do just one thing and be the best at it... and his entire system was based on three simple words: "QUALITY, CLEANLINESS, AND SERVICE". The author's exhaustive research pays off in spades as this is not only a tale of the amazing growth and success of "IN-N-OUT-BURGER"... but an insider's look... right from the middle of the action in the unparalleled escalation of the fast food culture in the United States from 1948 to the present. The Snyder's were not only right there with the birth of McDonald's, Burger King, Carl's Jr., etc. but In-N-Out beat them at their own game in the local market place that In-N-Out competed with them in. In fact even though they competed in the same area as Carl Karcher the owner of Carl's Jr. ... they were lifelong friends to the day they died.
As the rest of the industry spent every waking moment and dollar on lowering costs... whether through automation... or figuring out how many different ways they can freeze meat and potatoes... Harry refused to worry about lowering costs... he worried about "everything"... and I mean "everything"... being fresh. Only fresh meat... only fresh potatoes that they peeled and cooked themselves... every single day. They made their own buns... and made their own "secret sauce"... and they never spent money on advertising (not until the next generation of Snyder's... and then only minimally.)... because they didn't have to. The unbridled love of a meal from In-N-Out Burger... was passed from customers to their relatives... from relatives... to friends... from friends to mere acquaintances... like sharing a secret treasure. Lines of customers would wrap around the block and cause traffic jams. As they grew Harry got his own butcher to actually prepare the meat that came directly from a farm. Harry took care of the product and Esther handled the bookkeeping. Harry built a reputation with all his suppliers that his word was his bond. He never pressured them for better prices... he just let them know if he needed their help in a crisis they better be there. He inspected every truck of potatoes and meat. One bad potato and the whole truck was sent away. I can personally vouch for the Snyder's integrity that the author writes about, because in the early 1970's I was the sales manager for a computer company in Los Angeles that sold In-N-Out Burger a computer system to handle their burgeoning accounting needs. They were very happy with our system and wrote us a letter of recommendation on their "famous" In-N-Out-Burger letterhead. We put it in a nice frame in the lobby of our Wilshire Blvd. showroom so every potential customer that came to our office for a demonstration could read how we helped automate this unbelievable fast food hamburger company that was literally taking Southern California by storm.
As In-N-Out grew there were always rumors that they were going to sell the company to a conglomerate or go public but that was never the case. They also were only interested in very slow controlled growth. The Snyder's were always very private and kept things close to the vest. After Harry died... the younger son Rich took over and did a tremendous job. Unfortunately Rich died early in a plane crash and the older brother Guy who battled drugs took over and subsequently lost his fight with those demons. Esther's will and trust were changed so only a blood heir could inherit her stock... and there was only one such heir... Guy's young daughter Lynsi Snyder Martinez... who was not yet an adult. Regrettably... an ugly legal battle broke out between the trustees and Lynsi... and a company that kept family business private for over forty-years... was exposed through the media in ways that they had totally avoided through two prior generations.
Just as important as their unique "always-fresh" product is to In-N-Out Burger's storybook success... is the way they always treated their employees like family. In fact Harry and Esther never let anyone call them employees... and they would literally interrupt you in the middle of a sentence and tell you "THEY ARE NOT EMPLOYEES... THEY'RE ASSOCIATES!"
This is an absolutely engrossing story that weaves together an All-American-family... business... fast-food-mania... tragedy and success... and I am glad I dealt with this wonderful family personally... and I'm also glad I read this book... and even though I live in Northern California now... there is an In-N-Out Burger seven-tenths of a mile from my front door.
Terrific reading April 19, 2009
S. Johnson (USA)
14 out of 16 found this review helpful
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has great insight into the Snyder family and the beginnings of In-N-Out. It also includes some simple but outstanding business principles that can be learned from the way Harry and Rich did business. The story has plenty of drama, too. Whether or not you are a fan of their hamburgers, I recommend this book has a great read on family-owned businesses and the story of an entire era of americana.
Fantastic April 24, 2009
Rafi Mohammed
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
You don't have to be an In-N-Out devotee to enjoy this meticulously researched and well-written book.
Stacy Perman writes a compelling story of entrepreneurship, an unwavering focus to be the best, success, tragedy, and the struggles of passing a family business to new generations.
By the end of her book, you too will have a hankering to drive (or fly) to the closest In-N-Out restaurant. There, along with a diverse socioeconomic customer base that includes celebrities such as Sammy Hagar and Tom Hanks, as well as acclaimed chefs like Gordon Ramsey (the late Julia Child was also a fan), you'll enjoy one of the best hamburgers on this planet.
In-N-Out Burger: The book with quality you can taste May 4, 2009
Jason Prziborowski (Bloomington, IN)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
As a lifelong loyal consumer of In-N-Out, like my craving for Double Doubles, I couldn't wait to pick up the book. Like visiting In-N-Out itself, the book didn't disappoint. I thought I knew everything about In-N-Out Burger, but I gained some wonderful new insights about the starting of the business, the founders and their descendents, the fast food industry as a whole, the behind the scenes turbulence of In-N-Out, and its mission of doing a few things extremely well. I can hardly wait to get back to the West Coast for a steady diet of Double Doubles, strawberry shakes, and animal style fries. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.
In-N-Out Fanatic May 13, 2009
David Shefter (Stewartsville, NJ USA)
I just finished Stacy's In-N-Out book and I thoroughly loved it. I can remember my first In-N-Out experience like it was yesterday (actually 1987). It was at the Arcadia store after covering a local high school baseball game.
I had heard about In-N-Out in college at the University of Arizona because I saw so many students wearing the t-shirts. I wondered what the heck In-N-Out was because I grew up in western New York and never had been to one, even though I had traveled to California several times as a child. One bite into a Double-Double and I was hooked for life.
I lived in the Los Angeles-area for 12 years before moving back to the East Coast in 1999, and one of the things I miss most about the area is In-N-Out. When I wear In-N-Out t-shirts on the East Coast, people recognize the fast-food restaurant and recant stories.
For me, In-N-Out is not just a restaurant, it's an institution. Anytime I get to California, Las Vegas or Arizona, I make sure I immediately hit an In-N-Out. My relatives on the West Coast always know what to get for me for the holidays -- In-N-Out gift certificates or t-shirts. I have turned all of my East Coast buddies on the restaurant and they all are hooked.
Everything Stacy said about the fanaticism of In-N-Out patrons is true. It's amazing to me how you never walk into an empty store, unless it's around closing time. It's almost an aberration to see an In-N-Out drive through without any vehicles. I'm glad the family has not given into the temptation of franchising, although I'd love to have a store right off Exit 3 here in New Jersey. That wouldn't be the best thing for my health, but my taste buds would definitely be loving it.
Thanks again for a great read!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 48
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