How To Order An 'Animal-Style' Burger At Whataburger

While many fast food chains are known for their signature burgers, a chain's secret menu items often prove just as popular. With a little customization, these secret items can even be recreated pretty closely at other restaurants. For fans of In-N-Out's animal-style burger who can't get to an In-N-Out location easily, a version of the fan-favorite, not-so-secret burger can be made at Whataburger.

Animal-style burgers have been a mainstay at In-N-Out since 1961 — a mustard-cooked burger topped with grilled onions, pickles and the chain's signature, Thousand Island-esque spread. Whataburger fans who clamor for an animal-style burger can recreate it by ordering a Whataburger burger of their choice and adding grilled onions and Thousand Island dressing.

A standard Whataburger burger comes with tomato, lettuce, pickles, mustard, and diced onions, so making it animal-style requires a simple swap of diced onions for grilled and the addition of Thousand Island. Both customizations are offered for free — and, as one TikToker demonstrates, customers can also customize an order of fries to make them animal-style as well.

As beloved as In-N-Out's animal-style burgers are, the good news for fans is that the Whataburger version doesn't take much to recreate. While other so-called secret menu items or food hacks require combining sandwiches or sauces, this one is an easy ask at the drive-thru window or on the Whataburger app. For a true Double-Double experience, Whataburger customers can also add a patty to their copycat animal-style burger simply by asking for one — even though In-N-Out has a trademark on Double-Double. (A version of the animal-style burger can also be ordered at McDonald's by adding Big Mac sauce to a Deluxe Quarter Pounder with Cheese — though it should be noted that McDonald's typically offers diced onions on burgers instead of grilled.)

While it takes just a few tweaks to order an animal-style Whataburger, loyal fans of the chain have created plenty of Whataburger-specific hacks that allow the brand's burgers, sandwiches and sauces to take on a unique life of their own. Once you've sampled the animal-style Whataburger, sink your teeth into a Whataburger-inspired grilled cheese, a top-notch breakfast sandwich, your own custom loaded fries, or something else that stretches your creativity and your taste buds.