In-N-Out Burger is a West Coast institution not just due to its quality and price consistency, but also because it’s home to a cult favorite secret menu. The plain, lean official menu doesn’t even scratch the surface, but insiders know that the hidden gems are in the unofficial choices. These menu offerings, passed through the lips of others or leaked through rumors on social media, are a culinary playground for dedicated regulars. If you’re curious about how to bring your next order to the next level, here’s a detailed exploration of the most requested and creative offerings from In-N-Out’s not-so-secret menu.
There are some days, hectic days, which simply prevail. Being hungry enough to eat at a diner just isn’t on the agenda, and grabbing fast food is simply the most convenient thing to do. That’s the nature of the day. It’s a best-laid plans situation, maybe, or maybe you simply need a particular bite.
Which is not to mean you have to call up the same thing exactly each time. Especially not at a place like In-N-Out, where there are more options offered than most are aware of.
This West Coast favorite is widely known and goes back a long way. It first opened all the way back in 1948 in Baldwin Park, California. It had a faithful following throughout the years. The standard fare at first glance can seem pretty simple: milkshakes, fries, burgers. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
There’s a reason In-N-Out’s secret menu is something of a legend. It’s legendary among enthusiasts, and a couple of its most popular secret menu items have been so beloved that they’re even listed on the chain’s website subtly marked “Not So Secret Menu.”
Aside from that, there’s a whole world of fan creations. These creative alternatives aren’t on any real menu, but they’ve been passed around from human to human and in publications such as this one. We’ve gathered some of the best of them for you to give a try. These off-menu ones are worth getting on your must-try list
Animal Style Burger
The number one secret menu bestseller is the Animal Style Burger, so popular that it’s become a rite of passage. It’s basically the next generation classic burger with mustard seared into the patty, extra pickles, grilled onions, and a generous helping of In-N-Out’s famous spread. The flavor is a tangy, salty burst of flavors and textures.
Animal Style Fries
Think about In-N-Out’s cult favorite hand-cut fries, and then bestow upon them the same treatment as the guilty pleasure: grilled onions, melted cheese, and their spread coating the fries in a gooey, for-shoveling-and-forking-alone-worthy meal. Comfort food at its best-messy, guilty pleasure, and completely fulfilling.
3×3 and 4×4 Burgers
If a Double-Double does not satisfy, order a 3×3 (three patties, three slices of cheese) or 4×4 (four patties, four slices of cheese). These behemoths enable you to manage your beef-to-cheese proportion and access an unlimited appetite.
Grilled Cheese
Perfect for a vegetarian or someone who wishes to avoid the beef, the Grilled Cheese is two American cheese slices melted and optional onions, lettuce, tomato, and spread, all served in a soft bun. It’s the meat-free brother of the cheeseburger that never compromises on taste.
Protein Style
For the gluten-free or low-carb dieters, the Protein Style burger replaces the bun with fresh leaves of lettuce. Surprisingly refreshing and allows the taste of the burger to seep through without the extra carbs.
Flying Dutchman
A meaty minimalism, the Flying Dutchman is two beef patties and two slices of cheese in betweenno bun, no veggies, no spread. A keto option that honors the meaty essentials.
Neapolitan Shake
Why settle for just one when you can have all three? The Neapolitan Shake is a delicious mix of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry blended into one cup. It’s rich, old-fashioned indulgence with the best of all three worlds.
Well-Done Fries
If you like In-N-Out fries a teensy bit too soft, order them well-done. They’re even crunchier, golden brown, and a lot better for dipping or just munching on their own.
Roadkill Fries
Not on the menu, but die-hards call it Animal Style Fries topped with sprinkled-over crumbled Flying Dutchman. The result? One enormously savory, cheesy, beef-stuffed meal that’s as excessive as rumor has it.
Scooby Snack
This off-menu option is a standalone hamburger patty, typically served to dogs via the drive-thru but available to anyone who needs a little protein-stuffed bite.
Mustard-Grilled Patty
If you prefer the pungent richness of mustard, you can have your patty grilled with mustard applied right on it. It forms a great crust and releases the overall flavor of the burger.
Double Toasted Buns
Double-toasting your buns gives you the crispiest texture. This minor change in preparation yields an excellent crunch and better holds up to moist toppings.
Chopped Chilies
Spice lovers can sprinkle chopped yellow chilies on their burger for an extra kick. They give a snappy, bright punch to the cheesiness and beefiness.
Extra Everything
For those who want their burger drowning in toppings, worry not because you can ask for extra lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, pickles, and spreadfor free. It’s a compromise that turns a plain burger into a loaded masterpiece.
Veggie Burger
It’s not your standard veggie patty but a sandwich with all the fixingslettuce, tomato, spread, onions, and picklesplaced on a bun but without meat and cheese. It’s light and crispy if you don’t feel like eating something heavy.
Lemon-Up
A gentle combination of 7-Up and lemonade, the beverage is slightly sweet, tangy, and thirst-quenching only. It goes very nicely with a salty, meaty meal.
Perhaps the greatest aspect of In-N-Out’s secret menu is how endlessly customizable it is. The staff are well-known for being super nice and accommodating to your own particular requirements. Whether you’re cutting carbohydrates, require a bit of an extra kick, or simply want something new, the secret menu appears adventurous and up for grabs to every kind of diner.
From cult favorites such as Animal Style to off-menu hidden offerings such as Roadkill Fries, the secret menu demonstrates the company’s adaptability but firm commitment to its central promise of fresh ingredients and made-to-order food. The next time you’re at In-N-Out, don’t order from the menuorder outside the grid and find out why this burger chain is a legend.
