One Of The Main Ingredients In-N-Out Doesn't Make In-House

When the dawn of automobile popularity struck the Western U.S., a certain Harry Snyder opened California's first drive-thru hamburger joint known as In-N-Out Burger. Right from the start, Snyder prioritized simple, fresh ingredients sourced from local markets that could be prepared in the restaurant by hand. Obviously, as the business grew and the In-N-Out name became a nationwide phenomenon, that whole "by hand" schtick became harder to uphold — but uphold it did. In-N-Out restaurants are still responsible for creating much of its menu by hand each day, but one of the main ingredients that it doesn't make in-house is its famous buns, which it sources from various bakeries around the country. 

In-N-Out may be one of the fast food chains that actually has made-from-scratch menu items, but it sources those iconic, golden-brown buns from a few bakeries that provide a consistent taste and feel, one of which is California-native Puritan Bakery. The West Coast burger chain is well known for a policy of fresh, never frozen ingredients, which applies to its buns, as well. According to an alleged employee on Reddit, buns are "fresh shipped in every other day" to In-N-Out locations, then baked fresh each morning. An Instagram post from In-N-Out in 2024 not only detailed how the hamburger buns are sourced "from multiple bakeries," but also noted the regional differences in the recipes, such as how buns in Texas and Colorado contain sesame flour, while other locations don't.

In-N-Out partnered with Puritan Bakery for buns on the West Coast back in the 1950s, securing a decades-long alliance. The bread company's slogan is quite literally "The Best Buns in Town," which several customers attest to on social media. Founded in 1938 by Dwight Grimes, Puritan Bakery earned a reputation not only as a longtime supplier to In-N-Out, but also to other big-name chains and local businesses in California, Nevada, and Arizona, where its operating locations are based. The company isn't just limited to buns, either. Puritan Bakery offers over 300 types of breads, including everything from baguettes and rye to bagels and croissants. 

What many claim makes Puritan Bakery and other bun suppliers for In-N-Out stand out in a crowd is the utilization of the sponge-and-dough process. Puritan Bakery's seven-hour-long ordeal involves mixing flour, water, shortening, and yeast, and allowing it to ferment until it becomes tacky and sticky (here's how yeast actually works, btw). From there, Puritan Bakery adds sugar, water, yeast, flour, and salt to the spongy mixture, combining everything, and forming the dough into classic bun shapes. Puritan Bakery, in particular, supposedly even alters the recipe for In-N-Out, since the fast food giant is big on quality, a non-negotiable that extends to In-N-Out's few-ingredient french fries.