In-N-Out Employee Reveals Just How Far They'll Let You Take the Secret Menu

Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Cole Saladino/Thrillist

Every restaurant has its secrets, but no fast-food chain's secrets are better-known or more talked-about than California's In-N-Out Burger. Famously resistant to East Coast expansion and famously "Animal Style" in its approach to food, In-N-Out's secret menu is rife with hacks and extreme feats of burger-combo goodness, but a new Reddit AMA by a user named "Booshley" has revealed a few secrets about the chain that its most loyal customers would do well to learn for the next time they visit.

Booshley's revelations include facts that only employees know about their napkin process, their secret menu offerings, and the stringent practice of keeping trays uncluttered. We've lined up some of the big ones below, and you should read more In-N-Out secrets from when a franchise manager spoke to Thrillist last year about a few more.

Here's are some of the biggest takeaways from the tell-all:

The secret menu and other customizations now come with very practical limits. For one: no burgers bigger than a 4x4.

Presentation is such a big deal... that you'll never see more than two burgers and two fries in a tray.

The napkin rules are very important. But you can always ask for more.

You can trust the meat is locally sourced and not frozen. (Wendy's says the same about its meat, for what it's worth.)

The cook time on every burger is different and pre-determined with a timer on the grill. This makes a lot of sense.

Customers can get ridiculous, and often disgusting.

Nonetheless, customization is encouraged, with a smiley face! :)

...But within certain limits. In-N-Out -- as a company -- still doesn't sell bacon, and they probably won't start anytime soon, per one of their Facebook posts.

This is less a secret than a recommendation, but this employee really loves In-N-Out's Flying Dutchman and recommends this take on the chain's grilled cheese...

h/t Reddit AMA

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Eric Vilas-Boas is a writer and editor at Thrillist. Follow him @e_vb_.