Finally heading to Idaho’s first In-N-Out? Here’s how to order from the ‘secret’ menu
In-N-Out announced Monday that the fast-food chain’s first restaurant in Idaho will open Tuesday, Dec. 12.
The California-based burger joint announced an expansion to Idaho three years ago, and then in 2022, revealed the Gem State’s first In-N-Out restaurant would be at The Village at Meridian. A second location in Boise and a third location in Nampa also are in the works.
The Meridian location, at 3520 E. Fairview Ave., will open its doors to the public Tuesday.
On its face, the In-N-Out menu is pretty basic: a few burger options, fries, drinks and shakes.
But if you want the full In-N-Out experience, you’ll need to know how to order because plenty of options aren’t listed on the menu. Here’s what to know about making your first order at In-N-Out:
The Not So Secret Menu
Once you roll up to the drive-thru or look at the menu inside the restaurant, you’ll likely be underwhelmed by the options presented: A cheeseburger, hamburger, french fries, a few shake and drink options, and the famous Double-Double burger — a cheeseburger with two patties and two slices of cheese.
But there are more options on what In-N-Out calls the “Not So Secret Menu” — a reference to what customers long have called the “secret menu” — that offers more burger options. Here are your choices:
Animal style: If you ask for any burger “animal style,” all of the patties on your burger will be mustard-cooked, along with a helping of pickles, chopped grilled onions and extra In-N-Out sauce, which is a blend of mayonnaise, ketchup and sweet pickle relish.
Mustard-cooked: This process involves putting mustard on top of the patty while cooking.
Protein style: Your burger is wrapped in hand-leafed lettuce instead of a bun.
Grilled cheese: A good option for vegetarians, it’s two slices of American cheese, hand-leafed lettuce, tomatoes and In-N-Out sauce on a bun.
Double meat: A regular hamburger with all the fixings but with two meat patties.
3x3: A regular cheeseburger with all the fixings, but there are three patties and three cheese slices.
4x4: A regular cheeseburger with all the fixings but with four patties and four cheese slices.
How well done do you like your fries?
You’re probably accustomed to ordering a burger cooked a certain way, but have you ever done it with fries? You’ll have the option to do so at In-N-Out.
Ordering a classic side of fries is an option, but you also can order your fries in the following ways:
Light: This option will cook the fries less than usual if you prefer soft fries.
Light-well: These will be a little crispier than normal
Well done: If you want your fries even crispier and a little darker, this is the option for you
Extra well done: Even crispier and darker than the well-done fries, but not burnt.
You can also order different toppings for your fries:
Animal style fries: A basket of fries topped with melted cheese, grilled onions and a generous amount of In-N-Out’s special sauce.
Cheese fries: Exactly as it sounds: Fries with melted cheese on top.
A secret shake
In-N-Out offers three basic shake options: chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. But the keen eye will notice those three ingredients can be combined to create something else: a Neapolitan.
If you order the Neapolitan milkshake, you’ll receive all three flavors mixed together into a single shake.
For even more possible menu hacks, check out this guide at seriouseats.com.
This story was originally published December 11, 2023 at 12:50 PM.
