Posted on 07/05/2012 2:02:47 PM PDT by ImJustAnotherOkie
That was a good question, but I didn’t have an answer. I could only shrug. I grew up on Whataburgers so I could authoritatively rule them great but Five Guys better. Ditto for Sonic, despite its unstoppable cherry limeade. We all have our local haunts that can’t be topped. Around Austin, that’s Mighty Fine. Up in Baltimore, Burger Bros. is amazing and I cannot recommend them highly enough. Every town has its own best burger. But among the big chains that inspire fanatic loyalty, which is the best?
Overall Taste. Let me note for the record that both In-N-Out and Five Guys offer exceptionally great burgers and both deserve their cult status. Having tasted both, I understand the fierce loyalty that both inspire. In-N-Out is a fine homestyle burger that can be augmented with sauces and veggies and stacked a zillion ways to make it your burger. Five Guys can bring the heat or whatever taste suits you. In-N-Out is the cleaner burger and its wrap makes it the obvious choice if you’re eating on the go. But Five Guys brings a burger that is juicy to the extreme, so much so that you need half a dozen napkins at hand just to keep yourself clean as you bite through it. I prefer the juicier approach, so for me, the east coast approach is the way to go and Five Guys wins on taste. Its burger is simply juicer and tastier than In-N-Out.
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Fudd’s in Lakewood/Long Beach is still going.
Can’t say I blame you. I binged on Whataburger for 5 months 2-3 times a week Cheese Burger, small fry and water. Gained 25-30 pounds it was my biggest jones.
5 Guys is horrible.
In-N-Out is the sh!t if they weren’t always packed.
5 Guys is horrible.
In-N-Out is the sh!t if they weren’t always packed.
I like Johnny Rockets.
We see such variable reviews because most chains don't have 100% standardized items. They use their own local meat, their own equipment and each restaurant cooks things a little differently.
But this is a good thing because each person has their own taste. Think of the super big chains like McDonalds and BK that have standardized burgers that they ship (frozen) to each restaurant. They season the burgers based on a researched national average. They even use specialized equipment that always cooks them the same way.
The biggest example of this I've seen is Denny's. Some of them are damn near gourmet. The one in State College, PA is one of my favorite restaurants in the world! Extremely cheap, always fresh, cooked right and they never turned down a request. I've even seen them run across the street to the supermarket after some of my requests. I don't think I ever tipped less than 50% there.
Yet, some other Denny's are damn disgusting. I filed a complaint with the health department and their corporate office for the one in Sunny Isles, FL. The entire staff was useless illegals, they got every single order wrong and the food was unsafely cooked after waiting 1 HOUR. The place was empty so they had no excuse. We ended up leaving without eating or paying.
Interestingly there are both In-N-Out and Five Guys within a few hundred yards of each other in Elk Grove. I like the non-stop commercial-free classic rock that is always playing at Five Guys and their burgers are good enough, but when I’m starved and I really want a burger, I find myself at In-N-Out more often than not. Maybe it’s because I grew up in LA when In-N-Out was ONLY drive through, where everyone went in the wee hours for that late night meal and leaned on their cars in the parking lot while they ate, and I just have a lot of fond memories.
I like an Anheim pepper seasoned with Olive Oil Salt and pepper.
I have fond memories of my favorite post Davis Double repast: a Nations double cheese with everything. This was a juicy, run-down-your-arm-and drip-off-your-elbow piece of heaven for a body that had just burned over 10,000 calories riding 200 miles in 13 hours.
Definitely NOT what I would eat today. Btu so good then.
Mmmmmmmmmm... Nations...
In-n-Out Burger: Burger- Dry and essentially tasteless and boring, also minuscule portion of meat. French Fries - interesting to watch made, but difficult to eat due to the fact that they have the consistency and flavor of corrugated cardboard. Stay away.
In fact if anyone wants a really good burger the chains are not the place to look. Every town has a few good burger places, but you need to seek them out. Dallas - my haunt - has Lee Harvey’s and Maple and Motor. Just to name two.
Stay out of the chains if you want real quality.
“Once you learn to cook a burger (or steak) on the grill at home, you will never go back.”
Indeed. We only stop when we’re pretty much starving or to treat my daughter for an A on a test. My homemade burgers are preferred, but I can’t match a Sonic Happy Hour drink.
IMHO both are good but salty. Animal Style is preferred but sloppy for In-n-Out. Since the 5 Guys here has no drive through, I like the option of calling in my order to reduce waiting time. Burgers and fries are greasy and their fries have skins. In-n-out preferred for value and taste.
In-n-Out Burger: Burger- Dry and essentially tasteless and boring, also minuscule portion of meat. French Fries - interesting to watch made, but difficult to eat due to the fact that they have the consistency and flavor of corrugated cardboard. Stay away.
In fact if anyone wants a really good burger the chains are not the place to look. Every town has a few good burger places, but you need to seek them out. Dallas - my haunt - has Lee Harvey’s and Maple and Motor. Just to name two.
Stay out of the chains if you want real quality.
Trivia: In-N-Out has Scripture verse references on their soda cups and French fry containers.
I’m not thrilled about their burgers. (After living in CA for a decade, I figured out that it’s a guy thing.) Their establishments and employees are the best, though.
Then u gotta leave a tip. At a burger joint!
If u hafta leave a tip that outta disqualify any restaurant in this informal poll.
Make mine a Double Double, Animal Style, no pickles. Fries and a soda.
RT-44 diet cherry limeade - easy ice - is my favorite.
Good post!
No time for talking because you have to eat the In-N-Out 4x4 Animal Style quickly or the bun designates and you can’t let the fries get cold.
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