DISCLAIMER: In-N-Out's 2018 donation to the Republican party, and the revelations that they have consistently donated to the GOP in recent years, shows that they do not have the best interests of the vast majority of Americans at heart.

As one website succintly puts it, "Since the New Deal, Republicans have been on the wrong side of every issue of concern to ordinary Americans; Social Security, the war in Vietnam, equal rights, civil liberties, church-state separation, consumer issues, public education, reproductive freedom, national health care, labor issues, gun policy, campaign-finance reform, the environment and tax fairness. No political party could remain so consistently wrong by accident. The only rational conclusion is that, despite their cynical 'family values' propaganda, the Republican Party is a criminal conspiracy to betray the interests of the American people in favor of plutocratic and corporate interests, and absolutist religious groups."

And if that wasn't enough, in October 2021 officials at In -N-Out revealed that they refuse to enforce health codes, specifically the wearing of masks inside their restaurants to prevent transmission of the COVID-19 virus, which as of November 2021 has killed more than 735,000 Americans. An awfully strange thing for a restaurant to say ... are they ignoring other health codes as well?

That being said, here's their secret menu.

In-N-Out Secret Menu

In-N-Out, one of the better-known fast food burger chains out here in the West, has a VERY limited menu, basically burgers, fries, shakes and soft drinks. They're known for their commitment to quality -- the potatoes are sliced immediately before frying (although this doesn;t actually make the best French fries), the meat is ground fresh and never frozen, the shakes are made with real ice cream, etc. It's no wonder they have a loyal, even fanatical following in the states where they're located -- California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Oregon.

There's that limited menu, though. It gets old, having the same cheeseburger, the same fries. And with the In-N-Out company not willing to expand the menu, a "secret menu" has sprung up, of different ways to get your fast food meal. The secret menu is an oddity -- for the most part, it's authorized by the In-N-Out company, and ordering a burger "protein style," for example, will even appear on your receipt. But you have to be "in the know" to even know of these variations, and I think the powers that be at In-N-Out like this, because clued-in customers feel special.

A number of websites exist with the secret menu (especially this one), but the information is often presented in a haphazard way. I thought I'd clean it up a bit and present it, here, as a public service.

(Not sure where the nearest In-N-Out location is? Check out this map, and note that the official In-N-Out web site even admits the existence of these "secret menu" items.)

Note that burgers normally include "spread," lettuce, tomato and raw onion -- and no pickles. "Spread" is a mayonnaisey ketchup, like a Thousand Island dressing or "secret sauce."

In-N-Out customers note that restaurant employees do their best to fulfill special orders. if you want a burger with three patties, one cheese slice, no lettuce, fried in mustard, with both raw and grilled onions, and a severely toasted bun, go ahead and order it. Unless there's a company rule prohibiting it (possibly for health reasons, as in ordering a raw patty burger), they'll probably do their best to accommodate you.

Update (Jan. 24, 2018): An article on "trend-chaser.com" noted several interesting points:

A former manager said, "If you're going to eat animal fries, the best thing to do is to order them 'fry well' because the fries will hold their shape. They won't get soft and mushy under all the sauce, especially if you take your time eating them."

The same manager said, "The best burger I've eaten (that I never would've thought to make myself) is a Double-Single ... two burger patties, one slice of cheese, chopped chilies, chopped onions, and one tomato slice. The bun gets a spiral of mustard and a squeeze of lemon juice."

At each location, employees can customize their own food. The same manager: "Every store has their own secret item that only the associates know how to make. ... Some stores will cut potatoes long ways and will make [fancy French fries] called mojos. Others finely dice tomatoes, onions, and chilies, and top their burgers with the improvised salsa."

"Chili cheese fries" is something you might have to ask three times for. The first two times, the In-N-Out employee will probably turn you down.

Bearcooks | Food | In-N-Out Secret Menu