- I went to both chains to eat their most famous double burgers, and to see how they were similar or different to each other.
- I found that while McDonald's food doesn't taste bad, it tastes far less natural than In-N-Out's perfectly constructed burgers.
- .
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I ate similar meals at McDonald's and In-N-Out, and I saw why the chains belong to 2 different worlds
McDonald's and In-N-Out serve similar food, but the two chains couldn't be more different.
McDonald's Big Mac meal
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In-N-Out is to California what McDonald's is to the world.
In-N-Out is widely beloved for its friendly service, fresh ingredients, and picture-perfect burgers. But McDonald's has become more than just a fast-food chain: it's become a building block of global capitalism.
I set out to both chains and ate a similar meal at each one. My goal? To find out what makes these two chains so different, and, of course, to compare their food.
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I went to an In-N-Out in Los Angeles on a recent trip to the West Coast, and when I returned to New York, I went to a McDonald's in Manhattan near the Business Insider office.
Here's what my meals were like:
In Los Angeles, I scootered to an In-N-Out restaurant on Sunset Boulevard.
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The interior was cheerily decorated with retro booths, neon signage, and red-and-white tiling.
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In-N-Outs menu is stunningly simple, although its "animal-style" option is an open secret.
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In-n-Out is meticulous about sourcing its ingredients, and its famous for the freshness of its ... well, everything.
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The chains airtight supply chain is also why it will probably never expand to the East Coast.
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The condiments stand has just two things: ketchup and hot pickled peppers. It might be simple, but ...
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The peppers really kick it up a notch.
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After a bit of a wait, my meal came out in a bright red box. Id ordered a Double-Double, animal style ($4.35), animal-style fries ($3.95), and a medium soft drink ($1.75)
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Prices are accurate to the Hollywood location of In-N-Out that I went to.
I started with a handful of my animal-style fries. I grabbed a bundle before realizing that a fork was provided for a reason.
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But even smothered in cheese, grilled onions, and Thousand Island dressing, these fries were nasty.
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In-n-Outs fries manage to be soggy and flavorless even though theyre fresh-cut every day.
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The Double-Double animal-style was another story entirely.
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This burger is every bit as tasty as it looks.
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Between two perfectly toasted buns, tomato, lettuce, pickles, beef, and cheese were stacked carefully into a small tower and smothered in grilled onions and Thousand Island dressing.
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Even though the two patties are small, theyre tender and juicy, and they pack an incredible amount of meaty flavor.
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The veggies are fresh, crisp, and flavorful. The pickle and slice of tomato add a cut of juicy tartness to an otherwise savory burger.
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Soon, I realized why the Double-Double comes wrapped in paper.
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All that juice needs somewhere to go.
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I attacked the fries again, this time with a fork.
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But my second bite was just as disappointing as my first bite had been.
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Its a wonder how a place that makes such incredible burgers can make such infamously bad fries.
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But In-N-Out makes a burger so good you forget its fast food.
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After all, when you think of fast-food burgers, you think of McDonalds.
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Luckily, theres a McDonalds across the street from where I work.
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Its not one of the new revamped restaurants, which have ordering kiosks and other modernized features.
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This one still caters to a more lo-fi audience.
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A McDonalds in New York is no ordinary McDonalds, but this one feels especially dystopian. Its dark grey walls and futuristic lighting made me feel like I was walking in a prison of the future.
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I wasnt allowed to take pictures at the counter. However, this McDonalds has a mobile ordering option.
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You can order ahead of time, check in when you arrive, and retrieve your order at the pick-up counter. Or you can order from a cashier.
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I took my meal upstairs. There were no condiments stations, but thats true of most fast-food restaurants in New York. Instead, I was handed my condiments at the counter.
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I got a Big Mac meal for $9.79 before tax. It comes with a Big Mac, medium fries, and a drink.
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Pricing is accurate to the Manhattan location of McDonald's that I visited.
Where In-n-Out is one-size-fits-all, McDonalds casts a wide net. It has a massive and ever-changing menu full of beef, chicken, fish, and potatoes.
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However, the Big Mac is probably the chains most iconic sandwich.
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Three buns, two patties, and a smidge of lettuce, sauce, pickles, onions, and cheese. Its superficially similar to the Double-Double in many ways.
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But the Big Mac is a nonperishable burger. There isnt really anything in the sandwich that tastes or needs to taste fresh.
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The beef is pretty dry, the cheese a non-factor, the lettuce for show. What carries this burger is the creamy, tangy Mac sauce.
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Unlike its In-n-Out counterpart, which flaunts its fresh ingredients, the Big Mac could be frozen and reheated a dozen times and still taste roughly the same.
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McDonalds fries, however, are another story.
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Even though theyre no longer fried in beef tallow, many fast-food fans still swear by McDonalds fries.
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Again, unlike In-N-Out, McDonalds doesnt really care about how processed its fries are. These arent fresh-cut potatoes. Theyre fried from frozen.
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But somehow, McDonalds still makes a much better fry than In-n-Out.
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Theyre salty, reasonably oily, and reasonably crispy.
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That said, they still have a relatively empty and artificial taste. And once theyre cold, theyre not worth touching.
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McDonalds food is factory food. It isnt made with love, its made on an assembly line.
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Assembly line food, if nothing else, is at least reliable. McDonalds has built a global empire based on the reliability of its food.
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I cant say I didnt enjoy my Big Mac Meal. I did. But afterwards, I felt like Id put bad things into my body.
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But after my meal at In-N-Out, I felt refreshed. Sure, a burger might not be the healthiest choice, but at least my In-N-Out burger tasted like real food.
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See Also:
- I ate similar meals at In-N-Out and Five Guys, and the West Coast chain's cheaper burger beat out the more expensive one
- From German chocolate cake to chili con queso, here are 15 foods you think are from other countries but are actually American
- McDonald's is testing chicken sandwiches with MSG, and people are freaking out. Here's why they shouldn't care one bit.
SEE ALSO: I ate at Fatburger and discovered why it's one of the most underrated chains in fast food
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