It’s a rebellion against contemporary marketing wisdom. But one legendary Fast Food chain has de-clared it will never partner with any food delivery service. In-N-Out Burger simply doesn’t trust the likes of Door Dash…
If you’ve ever visited California, and had the good fortune to check out the Fast Food scene there with the help of a native guide, you’ve probably experienced In-N-Out Burger. Locals love it. Holly-wood stars rave about it. Some fans even have their In-N-Out favourites shipped across the country to them.
If there’s one thing In-N-Out treasures above all, it’s their reputation.
Won’t risk it
“When In-N-Out first started, the family-owned company was a pioneer of efficiency and modern-ization, creating a two-way speaker box and revolutionizing how people ordered,” Sara Murphy writes, in a recent Mashed report. ” It quickly served people and got them “in and out” with precise drive-thru menus. But while In-N-Out has always been about efficiency, it has never been about putting profit over quality.”
Unique among Fast Food brands, In-N-Out has never used frozen burger patties. That’s one reason it hasn’t expanded all across the continent like other successful chains. In-N-Out operates in just six states: California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Utah, and Texas. It won’t open a restaurant more than 300 miles from it’s central production facility.
Sued Door Dash
In-N-Out actually sued Door Dash in 2015 for offering its menu for delivery without permission. The resto didn’t trust the service to deliver their goods as hot, fresh and flavourful as its customers ex-pect. In-N-Out also expressed concerns about whether long delivery times might allow the food to drop below industry-standard safe food storage and handling temperatures.
In-N-Out won the lawsuit.
The legend lives on
The story goes that, when founder Harry Snyder opened the original In-N-Out Burger in 1948, he es-tablished a set of rules and standards that have come down unchanged to the present day. The com-pany is still run by one of his descendants.
The burger patties are still 100 percent USDA Ground Chuck, free of preservatives, additives or fillers of any kind.
“This commitment to quality extends to every ingredient.” Mashed’s business profile reveals. “The lettuce is hand-leafed, the fries are hand-cut, the buns are freshly baked, the shakes are made with real ice cream — and you will never find a microwave or heat lamp in any store. Ever.”
My take
How refreshing to find a Fast Food operation with old-fashioned standards and values. And it’s clear – to me, at least – that In-N-Out will never sell out. As long as it remains in ‘family’ hands. Which, like-wise, seems a certainty!
~ Maggie J.