Make way for the Double Double

According to the Orange County Register, at least eight In-N-Out restaurants are in the works in the state of Texas, with the first locations expected to open in two months. Specifically, In-N-Out has its eye on the Dallas/Fort Worth area, where the cities of Allen or Frisco are expected to claim bragging rights for being the first In-N-Out  to open in the Lone Star State. Future growth is also possible in Houston, Austin and San Antonio. But for now, concentration in the Dallas/Fort Worth area will keep In-N-Out “plenty busy for the next several years,” according to a spokesman.

In-N-Out, for those late to the game is the quirky California-based hamburger chain that has achieved cult status while offering a limited  menu choice; burgers, fries and drinks. No chicken, no salads, no bacon. You can vary your order by slathering your fries with cheese, and you can order from a "secret menu" — which the chain denies exists, even though it's on the company website. Burgers with names such as Animal Style, Protein Style (no bun - wrapped in lettuce), Flying Dutchman, 3x3, and 4x4 are celebrated underground requests never seen on the menu. 

Well. That's interesting if you are a big fan of In-N-Out and live in Texas and not California, which accounts for some - but not all - of our family.

Dare I say it? I’ll probably lose my California visiting rights, but I found In-N-Out to be very average. Yes, I know they have wonderful employee benefits, really stress fresh ingredients, have low prices and print bible verses on the bottom of their cups, and they will prepare your burger any way you want it (Animal Style burgers include pickles, extra spread, grilled onions, and mustard fried onto each meat patty, for example) but in the end it's just another burger. It's reputation exceeds itself. There. I said it.

In all fairness, it is a chain. It's really easy to offer an extraordinary hamburger when you build them in limited quantities -  not so easy to scale that process. But there are those who have done just that - Five Guys, Fatburger, and here in Austin, Mighty Fine, to name a few.

So I'll thumb my nose at the news that In-N-Out is coming to Texas. At least until there is one in my neighborhood.