Animal Style Fries at In-N-Out Burger
Hold on to your arteries, and say hello to Animal-Style fries.
At West Coast burger chain In-N-Out Burger, there are only a few things on the menu: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fries, and drinks. That’s it. The fun comes in customizing your burger according to the In-N-Out lingo. While nowhere on the bare-bones menu, there’s a whole separate language for placing your order. Ask for a "2-by-4" for a double cheeseburger with four slices of American. Vegetarian? Your only option is a "Grilled Cheese"—cheeseburger, sans burger. And order your burger "Animal Style" for extra sauce and chopped grilled onions mixed in with your cheese.
To any In-N-Out fan, the "secret menu" is an open secret. But while just about every other cheeseburger comes out Animal Style, it's less well-known that you can get your fries Animal Style, too. What does that mean? Your tray of fries comes topped with a mass of melty cheese, the same grilled onions, and a heart-stopping ladle of Thousand Island dressing.
In approaching the animal, you’ll need a plan of attack. My recommendation: stop admiring, grab a fork, and stir ‘em up. Wait too long and you’ll end up with garden-variety fries under rethickened cheese, but start mixing early and every crispy fry will get its share of the Animal Style wealth. Which is all any In-N-Out fry really wants.
Related
Los Angeles Area Burger Roundup
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In-N-Out: Hooked at Fisherman's Wharf
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50 Comments:
The one time I had animal style fries at In-N-Out, the cheese had coagulated within five minutes, before I had a chance to eat them.
I want to give them a chance again though. I love fries, and all the better if they're slathered with onions, cheese and sauce.
yogurtsoda at 2:40PM on 01/09/09
That looks like something someone pregnant made. It makes me feel not well.
JerzeeTomato at 2:44PM on 01/09/09
Animal style fries are the bomb.. Yes they are.. they really are.. MMMMmmm
MrChow at 3:11PM on 01/09/09
I always get my burger animal style, but cannot bring myself to order my fries that way.
marieinla at 3:13PM on 01/09/09
If you're trying to keep us away from In 'n Out, you've succeeded. That is the worst looking "food" I've seen in a long time.
beersnob at 3:13PM on 01/09/09
Ugh. Why? Why would you do that to - imho - the best fries available at any 'fast food' establishment?
The thing that's nice about In-n-Out is the sparceness of its long-standing menu. Why must people always want more, more, more?
*sigh*
kimonkey7 at 3:13PM on 01/09/09
Animal style burger = win
Animal style fries = fail
:(
skastafarian182 at 3:17PM on 01/09/09
flying dutchman!
smokeboy at 3:34PM on 01/09/09
make sure to get the fries well done.
jslander at 3:42PM on 01/09/09
@kimonkey7:
Clearly, you've never eaten at Checkers or Five Guys. I would actually say In-N-Out's fries (altho I've never had them animal-style) are among the worst fast food fries to be had.
toad3000 at 3:43PM on 01/09/09
After several years of eating animal style burgers, the last time I was in L.A. I was finally told of the legend that is animal style fries. Awesome.
So Good at 3:51PM on 01/09/09
I think this is a great salad! Potatoes and onions are both in the vegetable category (remember, at least 5 servings a day). Comes with the thousand island dressing. They even make sure to get your diary and calcium intake covered with the melted cheese. Perfect salad to go with your burger!
kobetobiko at 3:53PM on 01/09/09
Animal style fries are delicious, and I miss them more than I can describe! Don't be put off by how they look - what fastfood looks really amazing, anyway?
Junie at 3:59PM on 01/09/09
Sans onions that looks quite good!
Tahitinova at 4:01PM on 01/09/09
i think "hold on to your arteries" is about the most amazing lead-in i've ever read :)
callmenaomi at 4:04PM on 01/09/09
Fail, what? No way.
I think a fair comparison for In-N-Out's animal style fries would be poutine, and clearly: animal fries > poutine. Anyday, anytime.
And really, if that picture looks unappetizing, then what about Burger King's Angry Whopper? That picture was clearly photoshopped, and I got indigestion just looking at it. That picture is like cheese, softcore food porn for me. Pun intended.
jourgy at 4:12PM on 01/09/09
Animal Fries Rule!
puppychao at 4:14PM on 01/09/09
It's a beautiful thing.
Plowboy at 4:38PM on 01/09/09
You've made our California motherland proud, Carey.
Erin Zimmer at 4:39PM on 01/09/09
oh man, my In-N-Out craving is getting worse by the minute now.
queensblondie at 4:57PM on 01/09/09
i love animal fries but on the vegetarian option theres another option....a veggie, which is bun, lettuce, tomato, onion and spread.
although i prefer a double double animal style.
smtanner82 at 5:04PM on 01/09/09
@toad3000:
I've had Checkers's fries, but not Five Guys, though I've been meaning to get over there since I've just relocated to Indianapolis from Los Angeles.
The thing I love about In-N-Out's fries is the 'clean' taste they have - like potatoes and salt and little else. Call me a purist, but that always wins with me.
Thanks for the reminder about Five Guys, though.
*makes mental note to get over there*
kimonkey7 at 5:56PM on 01/09/09
@kobetobiko - dude, i like your attitude!
marchpane at 6:25PM on 01/09/09
oh man...quite possibly one of the worst things about leaving CA...I miss the animal style fries so much...that's pretty much the only way I used to order them.
mayoxqueen at 1:51AM on 01/10/09
Oh I feel like crying. I want some so badly. On my last 4 day trip to California, we had In-N-Out 3 times. We likes.
LHSK12 at 10:50AM on 01/10/09
Ugh, That is why I cannot stand this place!! The thousand island dressing is everywhere, but not mayo!
alesbica at 11:54AM on 01/10/09
OMG--this is awesome news--In 'n' Out is a beautiful thing: http://alisoneats.wordpress.com/2008/11/02/best-fast-food/
AlisonEats at 1:47PM on 01/10/09
I am a greedy gut as much as the next person, but that pink sauce on top of those chili fries looks disgusting to me. Sometimes less IS more, you know?
BITTER at 1:53PM on 01/10/09
@BITTER Those aren't chili fries. Just American cheese and grilled onions under the "pink sauce" (1000 Island dressing).
PommeDG at 2:33PM on 01/10/09
I definitely miss California and not having my In-N-Out fix is quite hard. I've always ordered my animal style burger but not this one. I like my fries the way they are with a side of ketchup. Somebody just said Poutine...my husband l-o-v-e-s this food. He's Canadian and it's actually pretty good.
marmstro at 2:52PM on 01/10/09
although i've never had burgers or fries animal style, in-n-out is ALWAYS my first stop from the airport when i go home to california. mmmmmmmm!
annaliesenc at 8:31PM on 01/10/09
Animal style fries was definitely an amazing discovery, and I think I've ordered them at every In-N-Out visit ever since! (Often, I'll just get animal style fries and a drink since that's about all I can handle in a single visit!)
If you haven't tried them yet, it's time to make a special trip, because once you've had animal style fries, you'll never want anything else.
CoryOBrien at 4:12AM on 01/11/09
By the way, on the animal style burger they put pickles on too, which don't come stock on the regular burger, that saves a step from what I did for years which was cheeseburger grilled onions and pickles. But their fries are shite. They are only fried once, and are limp and cardboardy as a result, I have asked for them well done and they come out as crisp husks of what were fries. Not good either way.
the_o at 12:54AM on 01/12/09
I have to say I was very confused by the appeal when I went to In N' Out burger for the first time a couple years ago. I knew it was huge in California but with my single burger and fries and nothing special about it, I couldn't really tell why. But with the animal style fries and this sort of lingo, it's becoming more apparent. They should post those sorts of things on the menu!
Even though I don't like grilled onions, those animal style fries look sickeningly good!
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 1:28PM on 01/12/09
Here's the full secret burger menu: http://echopic.com/3jmb/full
almostalwayshungry at 5:43PM on 01/12/09
I totally agree that In and Out Burger's fries are THE WORST. It's too bad, cuz the burgers are outstanding!
mollybrown at 4:03PM on 01/13/09
@ PommeDG - my bad about the chili, but still, this sounds and looks weird to me...
BITTER at 10:57AM on 01/14/09
Jslander made a terrific comment that I'm worried will be overlooked.
It is CRITICAL, when getting the animal-style fries, to order the fries well done. They hold up much better that way. :)
Pleased to meet you, Jslander. :)
mince at 1:41AM on 01/15/09
I'm jonesing for In-N-Out now, again. It's probably unhealthy to think back on fast food with a desire more intense than that for filet mingon, but the taste, sight, and smell refuse to leave my head. Unfortunately I had forgotten about the animal style option on my last chance to dine there.
On Five Guys vs. In-N-Out, I don't see the comparison. Sure Five Guys is good, but their bun is crap and their meat lacks in beefy flavor when put side to side. As far as fries go, I like both, Five Guys have better texture, but In-N-Out has better flavor.
branochilly at 7:12AM on 01/15/09
totally agree with the well done -- in n out always undercooks their fries. but oh my god you can't knock it until you try it -- seriously -- ANIMAL FRIES = HEAVEN.
megannesta at 7:43PM on 01/15/09
so nast. i still order it though. must use fork.
johnoday at 4:49PM on 01/16/09
i like my animal fries extra crispy :)
kimbloo at 4:55AM on 01/17/09
those fries look like the dressing lord took a diahrrea on them... but they look good, id like to have mine with ranch if its possible..
HonkMyTawts at 3:27PM on 01/17/09
In n Out will make anything anyway you want. Strawberry shake syrup on your fries? As you wish.
The problem with animal fries is the cheese will coagulate before you get settled in your seat. Never get them to go. I modify these and get the fries well-done, with grilled onions and grilled chiles, if the InO has peppers. Cheese only if eating on site. No spread.
texzilla at 10:59PM on 01/17/09
I finally tried animal style fries and I didn't care for it. I did love the dressing on the fries so now I order extra dressing on the side for my fries. Haven't tried a burger that way but I will.
ddvierra68 at 11:40AM on 01/19/09
Huh??? Please explain to this Texas gal what "animal-style" has to do with melted cheese, onions and 1000 Island dressing?
Kimc54 at 10:52PM on 01/20/09
This is the worst Americanized rip-off of Poutine I've ever seen!
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u51/witchywife/Poutine2.jpg
Sugar at 5:48PM on 01/21/09
In-N-Out's fries are ONLY good if you order them well done. Otherwise they are soggy from minute one.
As for Animal Style fries, I've yet to try them because they are such a rip-off to order. The first time I tried I wondered why my bill total was so high. When I got to the window, I found out Animal Style Fries are MORE THAN DOUBLE the price of regular fries.
Now extra onions on your burger is free.
A side packet of Animal Sauce is free.
Cheese is 30 cents a slice.
So even if you add 3 slices of cheese on top of the fries--which they don't--the price doesn't add up.
To me they make the price so outrageous so anyone that orders it will really think twice. I don't need a small paper basket of fries that costs as much as my double patty hamburger. Sorry.
sushicourier at 8:03PM on 01/23/09
long post ahead to answer the simple question for the above post
French Fries(FF) animal style like everything else on the "secret menu" came to be at the request of our customers. Before 2000, FF animals did not exist, animal style burgers did. In 2001-02, one customer must have asked some cashier if they could melt some cheese and put that on the FF. Thus the birth of the animal FF.
In 2002, we did not have button for animal FF on the order taking screen. We just charged the customer 40 cents for the two extra cheese and the cook would make the animal FF. There was also no policies on making FF animals. Some cooks melted chz on them, then put some fried mustard in the grill onions, added a little chop pickles along with the grill onions and spread. This was the true animal FF because it had the same extra condiments that went on the animal burgers.
The problem with this was that this is an extremely time consuming process. The FF has to come out early for the cook to make them animal style. It also took grill space to melt cheese. Not a huge deal when you made animal FF once or twice a month. When animal FF started spreading like crazy, they became very inconvenient.
The only way to make everything fresh and to order, is to have a very simple menu. One kind of bun, one kind of cheese, basic condiments. No bacon, sesame buns, chicken sandwiches etc. The cooks sees how the customer wants their burger and makes it that way. Animal FF takes a huge toll on the cook. They are fairly simple to make, but during a rush when the cook has to make some 80+ burgers/30min all with different condiments, they are just rhythm killers. They are wrenches in the cooking mechanism.
The company saw this too late and animal FF became much too popular for them to just say no when the customer ordered one. The are very few complaints about in-n-out as a company. The two big ones are lack of a menu variety and the other is wait time. The first one is never going to change because the INO foundation is built on fresh food made to order. The second one is caused by this ideology. A burger will take about 5 mins to cook from the time you order it, no matter what. During the rush this will increase and animal FF will not help. So the next best thing the company did to try and slow down the FF animal popularity was to make them very expensive.
A Double Double, THE all American Cheese, 100% beef patty, on slow rising true sponge dough with granulated sugar, with ace grade tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, and secret spread cooked to order became the 2nd most expensive item behind some FF with 2 slice of cheese on them and some condiments. Imagine if FF animals cost $1.75 instead of $3+. The not so great wait time would be horrendous with the amount of FF animals made. This is why if you don't know about animal FF you never will, animal FF will never be advertised by the company and they will never ever appear on the official menu. Heck, they don't even advertise them on their official website on their secret menu tab.
So yea, they are expensive, and yea they are good. At least, some stores are now retrofitted with steam machine that will melt the cheese, making them a little easier to make, but still very time consuming. FF animals are the biggest thing to change for INO since they added Dr. Pepper in like 1997. Keeping it simple and fresh is the INO motto and FF animals are not simple. Just be glad they didn't axe them like the famous 5X5 and bigger burgers we used to make.
Thanks for reading and thanks for making my check possible every 2 weeks.
flying ducthman at 3:17AM on 02/23/09
Has anyone noticed that their fries have gotten worse over the last year or so? Since day one in 1948 In & Out used a Shaver Keen Kutter for cutting their fries. Most of the high end steak houses and restaurants use the Keen Kutter because of their quality and unique design of the blades. The blades are thin & cut through the french fry rather then trying to "force" the potatoes through the cutting head with thick blades. They switched to what looks to be a "Nemco" machine or hybrid that has thick blades. When you apply pressure on the potatoes and try to push them through this thick blade design, the patatoe is forced through the cutting head. Were the blade makes contact with the potato it puts stress on the potato. When the cut portion of the potato is exiting the blades it wants to expand from the preasure of trying to get by the bigger blades. When this happens, the potato edges crack or break and allows oxygen to enter through these stress cracks. What does that matter you may ask? Now when the cut fries are being fried, the oil gets inside these cracks which enter the patoto and cook it uneavenly. Not to mention it changes the nutritional facts that have been the same for 60 years. I bet they didn't re-test the fries after they switched their process. I know notice that their a alot more broken little 1/8 & 1/4 picece fries on my tray.
I heard that over the years that the potato's that In & Out grow/buy have gotten bigger and didn't fit the Shaver cutting head, thus changing to a bigger head and thicker blade design. Consistency is key and after 60 years of the same good french fry that helped the company grow to what it is today... why change something that isn't broken.
NVER2FST at 4:34PM on 04/05/09