“In-N-Out rules!!!”
Posted By Gary Cohen in Square Pegs on June 10, 2007
Several years ago, I ate a meal somewhere in the vicinity of Los Angeles at an In-N-Out Burger, which has an oddly cultish following on the west coast. The meal was pleasant and the burger tasty, but certainly not the greatest thing I've ever eaten. After the meal, I decided to buy a t-shirt, which cost something like $7. The shirt has the restaurant logo on the front and a cartoony picture of an In-N-Out on the back with some old cars parked in front. Generally, it is unremarkable in design.
This t-shirt, unlike any other piece of clothing I have ever owned, causes a reaction in people wherever I go. It's a guarantee that when I wear it, several people will say/yell something about it. Usually this something is to point at the shirt and yell "In-N-Out!!!" or "In-N-Out rules!!"
Today's tally while out and about running errands for about 2 hours: three comments:
1. Guy at Albertson's, pointing: "In-N-Out!!!"
2. Manager of BBQs Galore, catching up to me in the parking lot: "Is that the new In-N-Out shirt?"
3. Guy at Central Market: "In-N-Out!! Are you from California?"
There you have it. Another successful day wearing my magical In-N-Out shirt.
J_Mortimer, says:
I have an In-N-Out story. I was in California. L.A. to be exact. (Pause) Yes. It's true!
Anyway, I was in California. My friend, who is a native Texan and was living in California getting his Ph.D at the time, told me that we have to go to In-N-Out. Well, I'd been to California before but never to In-N-Out. So we pull up and there is a firetruck out front. We are thinking, "uh-oh. I hope there wasn't a fire." Well there wasn't a fire. It was the local firestation ordering dinner. Obviously they can't leave the station without the truck in case they get a fire call.
Sure enough... They do get a fire call while they are waiting for their order. A few guys have gotten their orders and a few haven't. They all run out the door except one guy waiting for his order and apparently a few others.
The staff is slow to pick up on the urgency and the fireman is visibly distressed. The staff guy then slaps the bags on the counter, the fireman grabs these 3 or 4 bags and heads for the door. Hands full, he kicks the front door wide open in a visible display of haste and darts through it to the waiting truck.
This prompts a comment from my friend as if he is a California native. "Duuuuude. This is not a burning building" which prompts a few chuckles by other amused spectators.
J
Anonymous
2 years, 6 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
kirk, says:
Bags of Double-Doubles might help explain why the leading cause of on-the-job death among firefighters is heart attack.
Anonymous
2 years, 6 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
ryetronics, says:
I know movies play a part in this. I never knew what In N Out Burger was until I saw The Big Lebowski, and from that day on I convinced myself that their burgers were amazing without ever having one. This is true for many people I know.
After having In N Out half a dozen times, I can say that their burgers are on par with Steak N Shake. Please INO fans, don't kill me for that statement!
Anonymous
2 years, 6 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Lisa Lawrence Merritt, says:
In N Out and Steak and Shake both suck. If you want the best burger anywhere go to the Dairy Palace in Canton, TX.
Dairy Palace has the best burgers AND their shakes are made with Bluebell ice cream.
No place like home.
LLM
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2 years, 5 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal