21 Things You Didn’t Know About In-N-Out

[JulesMaximus]

How is making less people work to a higher standard and higher wages better for the economy than having more people work to a lower standard and receive lower wages? It sounds pretty zero-sum to me. When everybody needs to meet a certain standard either through employment or a mixture of employment + government aid, it all adds up to the same number in the end.

It either goes into corporate profits or employee's pockets. I'd rather support a company that values its employees and pays them a decent wage. If you want walmarts on every corner... well, you reap what you sow.

 

[KeithP]

There is no reason why other fast food retailers can't do the same thing and provide a better product and still be profitable.

Sure there is a reason, because unskilled, entry level employees worthy of that pay are few and far between. The idea that paying people more and giving better benefits will turn unskilled, unmotivated worker drones into valuable hard working employees is laughable.

In-N-Out can pay what they do because they attract better employees and their training weeds out the dullards. The result is they get performance/productivity out of those employees that warrants their pay.

In-N-Out gets the cream of the crop, everyone else gets the curds.

-KeithP

 

[momeNt]

It either goes into corporate profits or employee's pockets. I'd rather support a company that values its employees and pays them a decent wage. If you want walmarts on every corner... well, you reap what you sow.

I don't think that's an accurate assumption. Walmart employs a LOT more workers per SF of retail space than Costco. Costco gets a pass on employing far less people per store than Walmart because they pay the few people they have more? How is that fair to Walmart, who attempts to pay more people less.

Just take a deeper look at the numbers and you'll see all of this yourself. Costco is not taking money away from their corporate positions to pay their retail employees. They are taking it away from potential retail employees that are currently unemployed.

 

[zerocool84]

Screw all you with your political talk. I'm going to get In-N-Out for lunch tomorrow, 4x4 Medium with cheese fries well done.

 

[lxskllr]

 

[Raincity]

I don't care for In & Out food but I have allot of respect for a company that can retain profitability with a moderate return and still pay its employees a decent wage. It just shows that there is too much greed going on in the world today.

 

[Perknose]

In-N-Out also manufacturers real food too. They make all the fries and press all the burger patties right on premises.

McDonald's scientifically manufactures their food to resemble something of which you are familiar, including taste, smell and texture. All of their money goes to scientists and advertising agencies with very little left over for the actual food ingredient or the grunts who serve them. Poor little ole Donald's.

^^^ In a nutshell.

Costco is another company that features basic quality throughout their product line and also affords their employees decent wages and good benefits, and turns a healthy profit. For this, they have gotten roundly dissed by Wall Street.

What's wrong with this picture?

 

[Perknose]

My fave fact!

21. Most In-N-Out’s have a pair of crossed palm trees out front, because the founder got the idea from the film It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
Most In-N-Out's have a pair of crossed palm trees out front, because the founder got the idea from the film It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World .

As a kid, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World was my favorite film. This was back before the Pleistocene Period, in the Late Devouring Period, when fish became obnoxious and gonzo humor was incredibly rare, mostly still a glimmer in certain future Monty Python and Firesign Theater member's eyes.

 

[wabbitslayer]

The nearest In and Out to me is 800 miles away.
The closest McDonalds is about 8.
Guess which one I eat at more often?

 

[Hacp]

I LOVE McDonalds. I've had in&Out b4 but it isn't as good, as is MAD expensive.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I LOVE McDonalds. I've had in&Out b4 but it isn't as good, as is MAD expensive.

No freaking way is it expensive. They just opened one in my town and I got a burger combo the other day to try it out for $6. That is pretty competitive pricing.

The burger was pretty gross, but the fries were amazing. I will go back for those fries.

 

[highland145]

No freaking way is it expensive. They just opened one in my town and I got a burger combo the other day to try it out for $6. That is pretty competitive pricing.

The burger was pretty gross, but the fries were amazing. I will go back for those fries.

$6 + gross= expensive.

 

[poofyhairguy]

$6 + gross= expensive.

Not really, it is not like McDonald's combo isn't gross either. I would rather eat In-n-Out over any major chain near that price point because at least I get good fries.

Any place in town that has a burger that doesn't make me want to throw half of it away is over $10 for a combo because those places have the non-hormone grass fed beef that is the floor of acceptability.

In-and-out wasn't bad for a place with so-so beef.

 

[rednas]

No freaking way is it expensive. They just opened one in my town and I got a burger combo the other day to try it out for $6. That is pretty competitive pricing.

The burger was pretty gross, but the fries were amazing. I will go back for those fries.

You are the first person ever to like the fries and not the burger. I always the burgers were excellent and the friend were mediocre at best.

 

[CPA]

In-N-Out also manufacturers real food too. They make all the fries and press all the burger patties right on premises.

McDonald's scientifically manufactures their food to resemble something of which you are familiar, including taste, smell and texture. All of their money goes to scientists and advertising agencies with very little left over for the actual food ingredient or the grunts who serve them. Poor little ole Donald's.

Bs

 

[Exterous]

Companies like INO and Chick-fil-A are actually extremely competitive with the McDonald’s of the world. In a truly free marketplace, without an avenue K or corporate welfare, I think both INO and CFA could be way bigger.

http://www.qsrmagazine.com/reports/t...age-sales-unit

2010 US Average Sales Per Unit *thousands*
1. Chick-fil-A $2,694.4
2. McDonald’s $2,400.0
3. Jason’s Deli $2,226.6
4. Panera Bread $2,220.0
5. In-N-Out Burger $1,924.0

I don't have access to current numbers, but that's pretty damn impressive.

Sales per unit average is going to be misleading when comparing companies so disparate in terms of units. Given the vast number of McDonald's locations there are most likely going to be a much higher number serving less profitable locations. The biggest benefit of small chains is that they can pick and choose the most profitable locations (See: Trader Joe's, Costco, In-N-Out). McDonalds trades the 'downside' of a lower average sales for the upside of almost every american having access to one of their stores. There many more people who cannot go to a Chik-fil-a simply because there isn't one around.

It is also hard to discuss sales without discussing cost. If a Chik-Filet has 20% higher sales but costs 25% more per product then that changes the picture a bit

For this, they have gotten roundly dissed by Wall Street.

I am not aware of anyone dissing Costco for their wages and profit actions and I would think their stock price being up 140% over the last 5 years shows that plenty of people are buying it. Not saying I know every single piece of news out but I would be interested in where you got 'roundly dissed' from.

The most 'dissing' that I am aware of is the argument on whether Costco vs Walmart is a valid comparison

 

[Exterous]

A meal at McDonalds runs at about $8-9. A meal at In-N-Out is about $5-6. Just a little note, the most expensive item at In-N-Out would be their animal style fries.

That is definitely going to vary by area. Hell the Atlanta airport with its terribly overpriced food only charges an average of $7.50 for a McDonalds combo while places right next to it charge $10+ for less food

 

[Perknose]

In-N-Out also manufacturers real food too. They make all the fries and press all the burger patties right on premises.

McDonald's scientifically manufactures their food to resemble something of which you are familiar, including taste, smell and texture. All of their money goes to scientists and advertising agencies with very little left over for the actual food ingredient or the grunts who serve them. Poor little ole Donald's.

Bs

Really? Which part? Be specific. And show your work!

 

[poofyhairguy]

You are the first person ever to like the fries and not the burger. I always the burgers were excellent and the friend were mediocre at best.

I mean, the burger toppings aren't bad. The bun wasn't sugar like usual, the toppings seemed fresh and freshly cut. The only reason I didn't like the burger was the beef, but I am super picky about hamburger beef especially since I moved to Austin.

The fries on the other hand seemed crispy and fresh tasting. If I go back it will be for the fries.

 

[DrunkenSano]

What the fuck are you talking about? Minimum wage hasn't kept pace with the price of goods. People working at McDonald's aren't trying to buy Ferraris, they're trying to pay rent.

Since when is one minimum paying job suppose to pay rent? Even in the past, there are single parents who worked two job to support their kids. They didn't protest that they had to work two jobs, they just did it. That's the trade off for not getting a good education when you are young, you end up getting crap jobs and having to work more for your money.

 

[mikeford]

That exactly the point. A fast food place can pay its employees well and still be profitable and a success.

INO employees work fast hard and friendly, nobody with a McD level of worker skills would be hired.

Minimum wage, its all about who won't be able to get a job due to lesser skills or other personal issues.

 

[mikeford]

What the fuck are you talking about? Minimum wage hasn't kept pace with the price of goods. People working at McDonald's aren't trying to buy Ferraris, they're trying to pay rent.

To who, Mom and dad?

McD is totally unskilled entry level work, not a freaking career its one step above a paper route on a bicycle.

For McD to pay INO wages they would need to totally change their product line and clientele demographics, and they would NOT be retaining their unskilled low effort employees, who would then be unemployed.

 

[momeNt]

INO employees work fast hard and friendly, nobody with a McD level of worker skills would be hired.

Minimum wage, its all about who won't be able to get a job due to lesser skills or other personal issues.

The bad thing is that people are lumping INO and McD employees into the same batch of "fast food workers". Just like saying Costco and Walmart employees are "retail workers". There are different expectations of both employees, and the wage they are paid reflects that.

 

[OutHouse]

damn im hungry

 

[HumblePie]

1 thing I didn't know until a couple of months ago on a business trip to Cali. I was able to find out the place sucks. Burgers are bad. Anything else related to them doesn't matter to me unless they manage to make a burger that doesn't suck.