The 7 Worst Things About In-N-Out, According To Fans

In-N-Out has a lot of great qualities that fans love, whether that's the fresh ingredients or the consistency in the products. But as with anything, it's not all sunshine and roses. Loyal customers and occasional patrons have a few qualms with the chain as well. We looked at platforms like Reddit and Facebook to find out what people had to say and what their major issues were. We specifically tried to find the problems that were frequently discussed, not just one-off issues a single customer had. 

Some of these concern the food itself, while others relate to the general experience and other areas. You might have encountered these yourself, particularly if you are a regular. Luckily, none of these are particularly heinous crimes, but they can be annoying and affect your overall experience — and this can be a make-or-break if you are visiting In-N-Out for the first time. 

It doesn't really matter when you visit In-N-Out; there's always a line. The drive-thru seems to be a bit worse than going inside, though. Some people share that their local In-N-Out can have drive-thru wait times of up to an hour during dinner rush. Going inside can be lengthy, too; doing so also means you have to find parking, get out of your car, and brave trying to find a seat. 

People say there's a reason the line is so long (because the food is good), but others say they can't justify waiting so long or that they generally dislike the fast food chain's traffic. Occasionally, the lines are about the location and proximity to another In-N-Out. Traffic jams, lines, and wait times are a part of the experience, and that might not appeal to certain customers. Select locations are so bad that there are traffic management plans in place to help with the safety of customers and overall flow.

Generally speaking, people appear to dislike In-N-Out's fries. There are entire Reddit threads with hundreds of comments discussing why they are so bad. People say they taste terrible (they were even less kind with their words, though) or seem similar to styrofoam. Others mention that they're effectively garbage, while some patrons have more specific reasons that they say make them unpleasant. 

Some think the issue stems from the oil they're fried in or the potatoes being cut too thin. Other customers think the fries aren't cooked long enough, which is why some suggest ordering them well done for a crisper texture. Alternatively, they recommend light-well for those who prefer a softer fry. Others think they're fine but only if you eat them immediately, as they quickly degrade with time. There are other ordering tricks to make fries more flavorful, such as getting them Animal Style with a well-done fry base to hold up against the moisture or getting Roadkill fries for a more satisfying meal.

Unlike some eateries, In-N-Out has a pretty limited menu. Even its most popular secret menu items are just random concoctions of the ingredients it has (combinations of meat, cheese, sodas, etc). You won't find things like barbecue sauce, turkey burgers, or alternative cheeses. Someone even created a petition for ranch to make it onto the menu, so clearly, people wish there were more options. One person even brought bacon with them to add to their burger since it isn't available in-store. 

Some customers would like to see more variety in their food; there's just one type of burger, which is fine, but the menu feels limiting and isn't enough to make them want to come back. Others think the signature spread, which they say is similar to Thousand Island dressing, is strange on a burger — therefore, other condiments would be nice. Loyal customers say adding random items would make it harder for the kitchen staff, and that the small menu means the company can focus on the quality of the products. Still, it doesn't stop people from requesting more.

In-N-Out Burger patties are quite thin, which may be one reason why people order the Double Double for a heartier meal. Plenty of people seem to think the patties are thinner than ever and a victim of shrinkflation, while others say they've always been that way. Or perhaps it's just because we got older and bigger ourselves. There appears to be conjecture based on changes to the calorie count. A hamburger used to be 390 calories and went down to 350. 

Customers say the shrinking patty size is to blame, but others assure the patties have always been 2 ounces pre-cooked, speculating that the calorie change could be from the oil used. Someone claiming to be an employee for over 20 years said that customers consistently complained they appeared smaller, but indeed were not. "Patties have always been ⅛ of a lb," the person shared on Reddit. Now a 4x4 doesn't seem so gargantuan, given that it's ultimately ½ a pound of meat.

Many customers find the secret menu somewhat annoying. They say that the food should be good as is, and one shouldn't have to know every ingredient the company has to make it taste better. Or at the very least, In-N-Out should list all the options available to customers so they don't have to crack the menu code. Visiting 15 times may not be feasible to get the hang of things. 

"I shouldn't have to do a bunch of research and/or make multiple visits to figure out the 'secret code' for getting a burger the way I want," one Redditor says. And this seems to be the sentiment for many — they don't want to read articles about ordering tips to get the best burger. Others try to encourage naysayers by sharing that the food was indeed better when they learned about the available customizations after a few visits. But again, this might not make sense for out-of-towners who only get one shot. Then there are others who think the secret menu items aren't anything to write home about anyway.

Many customers are quite annoyed that In-N-Out employees place napkins over the food. It's frequently discussed in online forums. At first glance, it may look a bit careless, if not slightly messy. Why would they put the napkin there if cheese or burger grease gets all over it? Customers say this makes the napkins unusable and doesn't seem too logical. 

Others don't like that the napkins stick to the cheese, taking a portion of the queso with them. Or worse yet, they hate that they have to pick off napkin shreds from their burger. Well, some say it's actually a store policy that employees are told to do; and others say it's done to absorb grease and keep the food warm. No matter whether there's a valid reason or not, the napkin topper certainly draws up a lot of drama — one customer says it is indeed the worst thing about In-N-Out. It doesn't hurt to ask for extra napkins in case they get dirty, and simply because things get messy from the spread and moisture from tomatoes and lettuce.

People have a major issue with how dedicated In-N-Out customers and employees can be. Anytime there's an online complaint or question, you'll find many customers commenting to back up the fast food chain — whether it's a question about the patty size or someone wanting added menu options. Others say that employees can't seem to take any criticism of the company. "They just echo whatever the company does like NPCs running a script," says one Reddit user.

This level of dedication may feel off-putting to those new to the eatery or who've only gone once or twice. There's certainly a camp of loyal customers who seem to know the menu, well, in and out, and are even happy to be part of the "burger cult," as they call it. But then again, you can find some In-N-Out haters, too. If you fall in the middle and think the food is good enough but overrated, you wouldn't be alone. The company has faced many scandals over the years that might also make you think twice about visiting.