I tried every burger at In-N-Out and ranked them from worst to best

Erin McDowellMay 30, 2024, 00:06 IST

I went to In-N-Out and ordered and ranked every burger, including the ones on the chain's "not-so-secret" menu.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I tried every burger on In-N-Out's main and "not-so-secret" menu.
My least favorite burger I tried from In-N-Out was the plain hamburger.

On a trip to Austin, I ordered every burger at In-N-Out, a Californian fast-food chain famous for its well-priced, oversized burgers.

Harry and Esther Snyder opened their first In-N-Out burger stand in 1948. In 1963, In-N-Out began serving its famous Double-Double burger and added "animal-style" burgers to its menu two years later. The chain, which now operates in eight states, opened its 400th restaurant in 2023 and is a favorite of celebrities and world-class chefs alike.

In-N-Out is helmed by Lynsi Snyder, the only granddaughter of Harry and Esther Snyder. At 42, she is one of the youngest billionaires in the US, with a net worth of $6.7 billion. The company has evolved under her leadership, but the menu at In-N-Out has remained largely unchanged over the decades.

Here's every burger at In-N-Out, ranked from worst to best.

My least favorite burger at In-N-Out was, perhaps unsurprisingly, the plain hamburger.

In-N-Out hamburger.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I knew it would probably be underwhelming compared to the menu's other burgers, which come with more exciting toppings.

In-N-Out hamburger.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The beef patty was crispy and had a nice flavor to it.

In-N-Out hamburger.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The cheeseburger was slightly better.

In-N-Out cheeseburger.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

It comes with one beef patty and a slice of American cheese.

In-N-Out cheeseburger.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

However, despite being slightly better than the hamburger, I probably wouldn't order this again.

In-N-Out cheeseburger.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The 4x4 is the largest burger at In-N-Out and is part of the chain's "not-so-secret" menu.

In-N-Out 4x4.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The ginormous burger was difficult to hold in one hand, let alone bite into.

In-N-Out 4x4.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

All of the elements of the burger were delicious, from the juicy beef patties to the layers of cheese and fresh lettuce and tomato.

In-N-Out 4x4.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I also tried a Double-Double protein-style.

In-N-Out burger protein-style.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

It came with two burger patties, cheese, tomato, lettuce, and spread.

In-N-Out burger protein-style.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I felt there was way too much lettuce on this lower-carb burger.

In-N-Out burger protein-style.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The Double Meat burger, also on the chain's secret menu, is basically a Double-Double without the cheese.

In-N-Out double meat burger.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

It comes with two beef patties, lettuce, tomato, spread, and optional onions.

In-N-Out double meat burger.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The absence of cheese allowed the other ingredients to really come through.

In-N-Out double meat burger.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

My third-favorite burger on In-N-Out's menu was the 3x3.

In-N-Out 3x3.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

This burger was much easier to eat than the 4x4.

In-N-Out 3x3.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The burger was easier to hold and eat than the larger version.

In-N-Out 3x3.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I also ordered a plain Double-Double, which is In-N-Out's version of a double cheeseburger.

In-N-Out double cheeseburger.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The patties were incredibly juicy but had a nice char on the outside.

In-N-Out double cheeseburger.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The burger was beyond flavorful, the perfect size, and shockingly inexpensive.

In-N-Out double cheeseburger.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

By far, the best burger I tried at In-N-Out was the Double-Double "animal-style."

In-N-Out Double-Double animal style.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

If you order your burger animal-style, the beef patties will be cooked in mustard and come with all the aforementioned toppings, plus pickles and extra spread, and the onions will be grilled.

In-N-Out Double-Double animal style.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

If you order your burger animal-style, the beef patties will be cooked in mustard and come with all the aforementioned toppings, plus pickles and extra spread, and the onions will be grilled.

The pickles were tart and crunchy, the beef patties were over-the-top juicy and flavorful, and the cheese-to-meat ratio was perfect.

In-N-Out Double-Double animal style.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

After eating my way through the entire In-N-Out burger menu, I could really understand why the fast-food chain has such a cult following.

In-N-Out eaten burgers in a box.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

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I tried every burger at In-N-Out and ranked them from worst to best

My least favorite burger at In-N-Out was, perhaps unsurprisingly, the plain hamburger.

I knew it would probably be underwhelming compared to the menu's other burgers, which come with more exciting toppings.

The beef patty was crispy and had a nice flavor to it.

The cheeseburger was slightly better.

It comes with one beef patty and a slice of American cheese.

However, despite being slightly better than the hamburger, I probably wouldn't order this again.

The 4x4 is the largest burger at In-N-Out and is part of the chain's "not-so-secret" menu.

The ginormous burger was difficult to hold in one hand, let alone bite into.

All of the elements of the burger were delicious, from the juicy beef patties to the layers of cheese and fresh lettuce and tomato.

I also tried a Double-Double protein-style.

It came with two burger patties, cheese, tomato, lettuce, and spread.

I felt there was way too much lettuce on this lower-carb burger.

The Double Meat burger, also on the chain's secret menu, is basically a Double-Double without the cheese.

It comes with two beef patties, lettuce, tomato, spread, and optional onions.

The absence of cheese allowed the other ingredients to really come through.

My third-favorite burger on In-N-Out's menu was the 3x3.

This burger was much easier to eat than the 4x4.

The burger was easier to hold and eat than the larger version.

I also ordered a plain Double-Double, which is In-N-Out's version of a double cheeseburger.

The patties were incredibly juicy but had a nice char on the outside.

The burger was beyond flavorful, the perfect size, and shockingly inexpensive.

By far, the best burger I tried at In-N-Out was the Double-Double "animal-style."

If you order your burger animal-style, the beef patties will be cooked in mustard and come with all the aforementioned toppings, plus pickles and extra spread, and the onions will be grilled.

The pickles were tart and crunchy, the beef patties were over-the-top juicy and flavorful, and the cheese-to-meat ratio was perfect.

After eating my way through the entire In-N-Out burger menu, I could really understand why the fast-food chain has such a cult following.