It's Burger Time: The History of In-N-Out Burger

I had my inaugural In-N-Out Burger experience last spring when BookExpo America was held in Los Angeles. Almost immediately upon arriving from Seattle I piloted a rental car filled with hungry Amazon book editors to the In-N-Out Burger on Sunset where Dave Callanan, our resident Californian, guided us through the ordering process. Eating our Double Doubles and "Animal Style" fries al fresco on a sunny afternoon, it was love at first bite, and an eye-opening understanding of why In-N-Out's fans practice a cult-like dedication in their constant craving.

In my April Best of the Month pick, In-N-Out Burger: A Behind-the-Counter Look at the Fast-Food Chain That Breaks All the Rules, Stacy Perman chronicles how the 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 devoted fanbase of cruising teens, surfers, and celebrities alike (who developed a secret, word-of-mouth 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 as the fast-food wars raged on.Their made-to-order story packs enough family drama to fuel an HBO biopic. 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 Big Lebowski-esque drag-racing rebel with a dark side, stepped in to helm the business until his accidental overdose in 1999.

Beyond burger fans, this food lit/business/biography mash-up will appeal to readers who enjoyed Rich Cohen's quirky and endearing Sweet and Low: A Family Story as well as food-based, customer-service obsessed business books like Danny Meyer's Setting the Table, Making Dough: The 12 Secret Ingredients of Krispy Kreme's Sweet Success, and Howard Schultz's Pour Your Heart Into It.

You can also whet your appetite by reading the prologue to the book and Stacy Perman's guide to In-N-Out's not-so-secret "secret menu." And, as a bonus to our readers, photographic proof of our editorial excursion, pictured as we wait patiently to tuck into our burgers.

--BTP

Comments

[Flighterdoc on April 08, 2009 at 03:22 PM]

Obviously, you didn't go right to an in-n-out, there is one just north of LAX on Sepulveda or another on Burbank Blvd (if you flew into BUR)........

Tourists.......ack....