This Ordering Trick Keeps In-N-Out Animal Style Fries From Getting Soggy

Double Double, Protein Style, Animal Style — these are not cut lines from Shakespeare's "Macbeth," but code words that give you access to In-N-Out Burger's not-so-secret secret menu. "Fries, Animal Style" is one of the most famous item customizations, but also the most prone to sogginess. To get the crispiest In-N-Out fries every time, you need one more modifier: "Well done."

These two words will keep your fries in the fryer longer and come out darker and crispier. This is an especially good treatment for Animal Style fries, because sturdier fries will hold their integrity better under heavy toppings, like melted cheese and grilled onions. Animal Style came from a fateful, magical moment in the 1960s, and it's basically just a pile of their classic fries topped with everything they have available — melted cheese, grilled onions, and the chain's signature spread. (If you're looking for a dupe of the burger spread, check Trader Joe's).

Animal Style fries are rich and salty, sweet and inherently messy — and we love all that about them. But they have a predictable problem. The longer the fries sit under a gooey blanket of toppings, the softer they get. The results are a congealed, difficult-to-eat-without-a-fork mess, which isn't really very "animal style" of them at all. Instead, be sure to order them crispy, which will keep them from this soggy fate.

Part of the reason this "well done" modification request is so important for In-N-Out fries in particular is that they are made quite differently from most fast food fries. Many chains use pre-cut, frozen potatoes that have been par-cooked, dried, and coated with starches that supposedly create optimal, long-lasting crispiness. In-N-Out, on the other hand, cuts the potatoes in-house and immediately drops them into the hot fryer. This technique gives In-N-Out fries a fresh potato flavor and real-vegetable texture, but it also makes them a little more prone to becoming soggy, especially once a bunch of goopy toppings are added. This explains why In-N-Out fries are so controversial.

Another trick to ensure optimal fry-crispiness is to order the sauce on the side so that the fries stay as crispy as possible. This too makes a big difference, because it separated the wet from the crispy components until the last minute. This way, the sauce doesn't have time to soak into the fries during the walk back to your table or car, and you can smother them at your leisure or dip as you go to keep the texture intact. Animal Style fries are a balancing act between crispy-salty and saucy-gooey, and requesting them "well done" allows you to fine-tune the control you have over each perfect bite.