Allure of In-N-Out Burger draws huge crowds

By CHRISTIE SMYTHE
Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Grabbing a burger at the new In-N-Out Burger in Tucson, Ariz. was hardly as quick as the restaurant's name suggests.

Within minutes of the restaurant's early opening Tuesday morning., a line had formed at the front door. By noon, more than 100 people were waiting outside and the drive-thru line was at least 100 vehicles deep.

The wait to simply place an order took as long as an hour.

Yet when asked why they were willing to devote so much of their day to the pursuit of a hamburger, some Tucsonans waiting in line were at a loss for words.

"It sounds crazy, but they're just really good, sloppy hamburgers," said Judi Esposito, an In-N-Out enthusiast who brought along $40 worth of In-N-Out coupons she had been hoarding for a year and a half.

In-N-Out is "a little more unique" than standard fast-food restaurants such as McDonald's or Wendy's, said Griffin Walker, 20, who dropped by In-N-Out at about 9:15 a.m. after finishing a test at the University of Arizona.

"I've always loved it since the first time I've tried it," he said.

Founded in 1948, the Irvine, Calif.-based chain has been growing "very slowly and deliberately" throughout California, Nevada and Arizona, said Carl Van Fleet, vice president of planning and development for In-N-Out.

The family owned, privately held company has about 200 locations.

Large crowds are typical at the openings of In-N-Out's new restaurants, he said. The chain has also won accolades both from celebrity cook Julia Child and Eric Schlosser, author of the fast-food industry expose "Fast Food Nation."

The company's popularity "is not something that happened overnight," Van Fleet said, as he surveyed the lines of customers at the new location. "I think it just sort of grew with us."

The food is likely the chief reason for the cult following, Van Fleet said.

While some hamburger chains have sought to grow customers by adding a plethora of items to their menus, In-N-Out seems to do just fine with just three main ones: burgers, fries and shakes.

There is also a so-called "secret" menu, which includes some alternate combinations of the In-N-Out basics as well as the popular "Animal Style" burger, which is cooked with mustard and topped with grilled onions.

Priding itself on freshness, the company butchers its own meat and trucks only fresh ingredients to restaurants. On its Web site, In-N-Out boasts that restaurants have no heat lamps, microwaves or freezers.

Prices range from $1.19 for fries to less than $3 for a Double-Double, which has two beef patties and two slices of cheese.

Corporate values are probably another reason for In-N-Out's fan base, Van Fleet said. Pay is better than at many fast food restaurants. Starting pay for associates in Tucson was $9.50 per hour, Van Fleet said.

Corporate ethics, however, was far from the minds of many Tucsonans in line on Tuesday.

Many reported just one big reason for enduring the wait.

"I can't wait to get a Double- Double," said Jonathan Graham, a 30-year-old software company employee.