Midtown Lunch

I still remember when the first Five Guys opened in NYC.  As an avid In N Out fan I was pretty excited, because as different as the two places are Five Guys was the closest thing that we were going to get to having an In N Out.  Fresh cut fries, free grilled onions, and most importantly fast food that tasted like real food- not some kind of lab experiment (I’m looking at you Mcwendysking.)  But In N Out replacement it was not.  I still pined for a double double, and anytime I found myself far enough west I actively sought out the closest In N Out, not just for my own enjoyment but to induce jealousy in all the other east coast In N Out disciples I was friends with.  Then something happened…  I moved back to L.A.  All of sudden In N Out was available all the time, and while I still love it, it obviously doesn’t stir up that same excitement.  And when I hear old friends from back east get excited for In N Out it makes me laugh.  “Oh, that old place?”

Of course it’s still my go to fast food burger place, and a road trip essential.  So on my way down to Coachella two weeks ago it was my lunch stop off the 10.  What could be better than that?  I’ll tell you what.  Spotting a Five Guys at Midnight between Indio and my hotel in Palm Springs.  I actually surprised myself with how excited I got.

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You don’t need us to tell you about In N Out Burger, but this post on A Hamburger Today is possibly one of the greatest blog posts ever assembled. And if you haven’t looked at it yet, you really should.  One recent afternoon in San Francisco, Serious Eats Managing Editor J. Kenji Lopez Alt (aided by a super helpful In N Out cashier) ordered and photographed every single possible order permutation at In N Out Burger.  And not just the secret items that everybody knows about (we’re looking at you “animal style”) but also the super-secret menu stuff that you may not have heard about it. My next order at In N Out Burger will be a double double with mustard grilled patties, a whole onion, chopped chilies and fries well done.  If you haven’t looked at it yet, do yourself a favor and check it out>>>