Is the future of In-N-Out Burger in question?

I just read a recent article in the L.A. Times that could spell concern for anyone who has ever enjoyed a legendary Double-Double from In-N-Out Burger. Although I do take particular interest in the details of this story — it’s a real-life “Falcon Crest” in many ways — what proves equally interesting is the fact that people have shown so much concern over the fate of this burger chain. I suppose it’s a testament to the hamburger itself, being that it’s such an iconic American food: In-N-Out happens to be a cherished institution out here in California.

Consider the headline of the Times article itself, which uses the word “perfection” in the title. Even though writer Michael Hiltzik admits that a Double-Double doesn’t exactly meet some of the “health” requirements of many prescribed nutritional guidelines, the burger is still considered ideal in just about every other way. I think that the more you appreciate great food — and where it must begin — the more you might appreciate what In-N-Out Burger actually accomplishes.

I remember reading an interesting article about Gordon Ramsay, who professed his own weakness for In-N-Out Burger, admitting that after eating one Double-Double in the dining room, he ordered another one from the drive-through on his way home. My very first instructor at chef school, who had amazing tales of cooking for JFK at the Four Seasons in Manhattan, also raved about In-N-Out Burger. Back in January, I alluded to my own fixation with In-N-Out, although my recent visits have dwindled to maybe twice a month, on average.

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The gist of the L.A. Times article is the same one that I remember hearing on NPR back in 2006, shortly after matriarch Esther Snyder had just died (her husband and co-founder, Harry Snyder, died in 1976). Because both of the Snyder sons had also died tragically, in 1993 and 1999, the privately-held chain would ultimately fall into the hands of the Snyders’ only grandchild, Lynsi Martinez, in 2011. Under these circumstances, the future of In-N-Out becomes highly speculative, since we do not know anything for sure: will Martinez take the company public, expand the chain nationally, or leave everything exactly as is?

Martinez herself is a wild card, the only natural daughter of Guy Snyder, who died of a drug overdose in 1999. Originally, the Snyders wanted to keep the chain out of Guy’s hands altogether, but their intended heir, their younger and more stable son Gary, died in a plane crash in 1993. As a result, in 2011, this series of tragedies will place In-N-Out under new ownership for the first time in its history. But will tradition remain, and to what extent? Of course, all of this potential upheaval is still a couple of years away, but I would hate to see In-N-Out Burger compromised in any manner.

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From a consumer standpoint, all we can do is vote with our pocketbooks. If the new ownership ever tries to change or expand the In-N-Out menu (the selections at In-N-Out have always remained refreshingly limited), then these changes must be boycotted wholesale. A large part of In-N-Out’s success is its commitment to not do too much. By focusing exclusively on burgers, fries, and shakes, it has allowed the In-N-Out chain to excel in these three areas, supporting the old adage that less is more.

Likewise, we may also have to boycott entire In-N-Out locations, especially if they attempt to expand beyond the borders of California, Arizona, or Nevada (aside from just one Utah location, all 232 In-N-Out restaurants are located within these three states). In-N-Out’s inherent quality stems from its ability to distribute fresh ingredients over short distances. Beef, for instance, originates from In-N-Out’s own centrally-located meat packing facility in Southern California, and if I remember correctly, the turnaround from slaughter to Double-Double is a mere five days, meaning that the meat is never frozen along the way.

While I’m sure that the citizens of Oregon, for instance, would love to have In-N-Out in their own state, the fact is, any step towards large-scale expansion would most likely diminish the overall quality of the burgers themselves. The strength of In-N-Out lies in its small-scale business model, which is something that the Snyders had always maintained. The citizens of Oregon and any other “non-established” states would have to boycott these new In-N-Out locations in order to preserve and maintain the greater good.

I realize that boycotting an In-N-Out Burger is a mighty tall order, and almost counter-intuitive in many ways. Such a boycott could even be construed as un-American. But I can’t think of any other way to retain “perfection” within the Double-Double. And for all those Western states that may be called upon to help discourage and prevent a rapid In-N-Out expansion, don’t fret, because with your cooperation, In-N-Out Burger will always be exactly as delicious as you remembered it — every time you visit California.

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