In-N-Out Employee Dishes Out Answers to Customers’ Questions

In-N-Out Burger, arguably the most popular burger chain on the West Coast, has been dishing out meals since the late 1940s, but many avid customers continue to ponder some of the most pressing questions associated with the restaurant's hidden secrets. A self-proclaimed associate with the chain recently took to Reddit to serve out any and all answers to those interesting queries. The "Ask Me Anything" post received a slew of random questions, and it appears the employee, who says she has nearly two years of experience at In-N-Out, wasn't afraid to tell all.

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Q: What is the weirdest thing you have been asked to make?n

nA: This job has made me learn that there are a lot of picky people. One guy wanted lettuce that was not too green, but not too yellow so we had to show him the lettuce to ask if it was an OK color to use on his burger. Another weird thing I was asked to make was a root beer float but with a strawberry shake instead. I don't know, that just doesn't sound good to me.
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Q: The uniforms seem incredibly uncomfortable to wear in a kitchen. Are they?n

nA: The pants are hot. When it's hot outside and we're on handheld, the pants kill you. And the hats for girls are really annoying. We have to tuck our ponytails in and bobby pin the hat to our hair otherwise it will fall off. It's just a much bigger hassle than the hats the boys get to wear.
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Q: Why do you guys always put the napkins on top of the burgers?n

nA: On all of our orders, we are told to put one napkin for every burger and one napkin for every fry. If it is a protein style burger, we have to put in an extra napkin since it's messier. I guess the reason we put them on top of the burgers in take-out orders is because it's the only place we can put the napkins. Our spread is really messy so you could always ask for extra napkins at the window after you get your food so you can make sure they're clean.
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Q: What would you suggest for a newcomer to one of your locations?n

nA: If you like spicy, you should try adding chopped chilies to your burger. I personally like mustard-fried patties, which is when the cooks add mustard to the meat while it's grilling and add pickles to the bottom bun. Ultimately, the more you customize your burger, the more you'll enjoy it. We can customize almost anything so don't be afraid to ask.
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Q: Is it true that if you drive into a drive-thru backwards you get a free meal?n

nA: Definitely not. Please don't do that.
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Q: What is personally your favorite meal there?n

nA: I like the Flying Dutchman and the grilled cheese with extra spread and grilled onions only on an extra toasted bun.
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Q: What's your food price discount?n

nA: Associates get a free meal every shift. We can order anything up to the size of a double-double. However, we can't order animal fries or shakes unless we pay for them ourselves. We also can't give discounts to friends or families. In fact, the only discount we do give out is a police officer discount.
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