116 replies to this topic

[BlueMound]

Star Telegram article


'There is speculation that the privately held, family-run chain has focused on a particular site on West Seventh Street in Fort Worth.'

[Volare]

Some interesting competiton for Fred's and Love Shack!

[Keller Pirate]

I read the article, but I am in the have to see it to believe it mode. In-N-Out usually sets up next to major highways and I suspect that is what they will do for their first wave of locations here in North Texas.

A classic In-N-Out location would be next to I-35 at North Tarrant or Heritage Trace. It is a growing retail area next to the highway and could snag a lot of hungry travelers. I'm sure a similar location on I-35 south near Burleson would work just as good. Something in the Denton area near the I-35 merges wouldn't surprise me.

As the article said they like to buy the property they build their stores on, so if anybody hears about a land purchase, that would be a pretty solid rumor.

[txsloth]

I read the article, but I am in the have to see it to believe it mode. In-N-Out usually sets up next to major highways and I suspect that is what they will do for their first wave of locations here in North Texas.

A classic In-N-Out location would be next to I-35 at North Tarrant or Heritage Trace. It is a growing retail area next to the highway and could snag a lot of hungry travelers. I'm sure a similar location on I-35 south near Burleson would work just as good. Something in the Denton area near the I-35 merges wouldn't surprise me.

As the article said they like to buy the property they build their stores on, so if anybody hears about a land purchase, that would be a pretty solid rumor.

If you look at where the Arizona stores are, West 7th makes sense.

[bfg9000d]

I read the article, but I am in the have to see it to believe it mode. In-N-Out usually sets up next to major highways and I suspect that is what they will do for their first wave of locations here in North Texas.

A classic In-N-Out location would be next to I-35 at North Tarrant or Heritage Trace. It is a growing retail area next to the highway and could snag a lot of hungry travelers. I'm sure a similar location on I-35 south near Burleson would work just as good. Something in the Denton area near the I-35 merges wouldn't surprise me.

As the article said they like to buy the property they build their stores on, so if anybody hears about a land purchase, that would be a pretty solid rumor.

If you look at where the Arizona stores are, West 7th makes sense.

In-N-Out pretty much lives up to its name I do mean literally. Just as soon as it goes in, well it comes out, find a restroom very quickly. It's a decent burger place. But I would much rather see backyard burgers expand around the Metroplex. Now that would be something to talk about.

[David Love]

How many ways can you cook a beef patty?

How many burger joints does a city need for Pete's sake, enough already.

[bfg9000d]

How many ways can you cook a beef patty?

How many burger joints does a city need for Pete's sake, enough already.

I agree. Although the way I make my burgers. I would have a line 5 miles long if i sold them.

[cberen1]

How many ways can you cook a beef patty?

How many burger joints does a city need for Pete's sake, enough already.

I agree. Although the way I make my burgers. I would have a line 5 miles long if i sold them.

Why? Does it take you a long time to cook them? Do you only expect limos to come through the drive-thru? Would they be free?

Sorry, just in one of those impish moods.

[bfg9000d]

How many ways can you cook a beef patty?

How many burger joints does a city need for Pete's sake, enough already.

I agree. Although the way I make my burgers. I would have a line 5 miles long if i sold them.

Why? Does it take you a long time to cook them? Do you only expect limos to come through the drive-thru? Would they be free?

Sorry, just in one of those impish moods.

Well it takes about 20-25 min for me to cook the burger on the grill I almost smoke the burger but it doesn't come out dry. My secret sauce and seasoning that I use and its not Worcestershire, prevents it from drying out. The burger comes out firm on the outside, but thick, smokey and juicy on the inside. They measure over one inch in height and 6 to 7 inches in length and eating one is like eating a four course meal. I only use freshly cut cheese as well. I use only top quality ingredients. I have had numerous people on are street we invite over for a party try my burgers and literally they can't shut up the whole time how good they are. One guy that crack me up was literally cursing while he was eating on how good it was. If I where to sell them. I don't know probably 10 or 11 dollars a burger. Every time I make them in my back yard. I have people knock on my door asking me if I could make them one and they would pay for it. A couple of times I have. Unfortunately I have all but stop making them in my backyard and chosen to make them in a pan inside which isn't nearly as good. . The amount of harassment I was getting from people wasn't worth it. When I do make them on the grill I normally travel to a park where I can generally be left alone. Minus a few unleashed dogs that come up. I have thought about opening a burger place in Fort Worth. But it is more of a pipe dream i guess. How i got the 5 mile long line a friend told me. If you where to open a shop up there would be a 5 mile long line for these damn things. So that's how that came about.

Sorry about going slightly off topic but I felt I needed to clarify myself. It is about burgers though so I guess its slightly on topic.

[cjyoung]

People would go bananas if In-N-Out opened here.

[Volare]

People would go bananas if In-N-Out opened here.

Just like they did in the Twin Cities when the opened their first Sonic. People started lining up at 6 am.

True Story!

[jefffwd]

People would go bananas if In-N-Out opened here.

Just like they did in the Twin Cities when the opened their first Sonic. People started lining up at 6 am.

True Story!

Same thing when Crystal's opened in FW a few years ago... People camped out overnight!!

[bfg9000d]

People would go bananas if In-N-Out opened here.

Just like they did in the Twin Cities when the opened their first Sonic. People started lining up at 6 am.

True Story!

Same thing when Crystal's opened in FW a few years ago... People camped out overnight!!

Now look at the lines of these places???? Half the time they look like there closed.

It's one thing to open with lines its another to stay generally that busy throughout the years. Most of which on these types of places are hype. All crystal burger is a small slab of meat on a dinner roll. Sonic I could understand as their burgers depending on what location you go to are pretty decent. There are plenty of other great mom and pop burger places that totally outshine the chains. The only commercial chain burger place I really like is backyard burgers. I could name off several mom and pop places that never get enough attention or media for that matter.

[cjyoung]

Trust me, In-N-Out would be packed all the time. Not like Crystal or Krispee Kreme. It's the real deal. Imagine if McDonald's or BK had good food, well that's In-N-Out.

[AndyN]

Been to California, done the In-N-Out. Don't understand the hype. Must be something you had to grow up with to extra appreciate.

From their wikipedia entry, sounds like a company with a good corporate culture.

[mmiller2002]

If only a White Castle would open...

[Phil Phillips]

I guess what makes a great hamburger is very subjective, just like BBQ. I never travel to CA, NV or AZ without hitting In-N-Out at least once. I don't think it will be much competition for Love Shack or Fred's, once the new wears off, since it is not really a "gourmet" burger. It should do great, however. When I need the In-N-Out fix, I go to Al's in N. Arlington. Very similar burger in construction, size, quality of meat and taste.

[Keller Pirate]

Yep, we could argue until the cows come home on who has the best burger. In-N-Out will do great here, just like everywhere else they have opened. They are a fast food drive-thru operation, so their competition is Whataburger, Mickey D's, Wendy's, ect.

I too never miss a chance to eat at In-N-Out when I am near one. I love their pricing, earlier this year I paid $2.99 for a Double Double. The wife and I can both eat for $10 and change. A week after eating at In-N-Out I went to Five Guys and it cost $10 and change just for me to eat. I would say Five Guys was almost as good, food wise.

As Andy said they have a good corporate culture. It is a family business, they prefer to own the land and the buildings and only expand using profits not loans. If I had a 16 or 17 year old child I would encourage them to try and get a job at In-N-Out. The employees are trained to look the customer in the eye and always smile. They are paid above average wages and everyone starts on trash clean up and works their way up. I'm sure other places tell their employees the same thing, but In-N-Out employees live it, they have to because they work in a store that is busy all the time. The kids that work there get a good life lesson in dealing with people positively. In-N-Out has the lowest turnover in the industry.

All managers start at the bottom and work their way up. Store managers allegedly earn over 100K, plus bonuses.
Supposedly, only full time management employees get to man the grill, because hamburgers is what In-N-Out is all about and they want them done right. Consider that the menu is virtually the same since the first store opened in 1948. They sell burgers, fries, shakes and drinks, nothing else.

Because they only promote from within I expect the openings in North Texas to be a slow process, you can only have so many people ready to run a store and staff the lower management positions each year. Garland will probably be the first and maybe the only store when it opens and we might see 5 in the first year.

I won't be in the crowd when the first one opens, but I will after things get reasonable and I only have to wait 15 minutes to get a burger.

[Doohickie]

I have fond memories of In-N-Out Burger from when we lived in L.A. If they come into town I will definitely go there once in a while. Although I think they would be third behind Whataburger and Sonic in my book. (I like my burgers fast & cheap.)

Now if only White Castle would come out here.........

EDIT... I see mmiller beat me to it!

[annrenee]

I could be a vegetarian were it not for In-N-Out Burger!!

[cjyoung]

Like I said in a prior post, I'd like to compare In-N-Out side by side with Whataburger, but Sonic???

[txsloth]

Like I said in a prior post, I'd like to compare In-N-Out side by side with Whataburger, but Sonic???

Agreed. Edited to say: agree with your questioning of the Sonic love. Whataburger is still good, but I've never been in a dirty In-N-Out while I've been in very few clean Whataburgers.

For those of you pining for White Castle, have you tried Krystal's? I find them very similar (and that's not a compliment ).

[bailey]

Like I said in a prior post, I'd like to compare In-N-Out side by side with Whataburger, but Sonic???

I have been to In-N-Out when I was in California and I thought their burgers were really good. I for one think Whataburger is not as good as it used to be when they had the old V shaped buildings. Back then, they cooked your burger right in front of you as you walked down the line and toasted the bun on the grill. Today, they just heat the bun in one of those machines you throw the buns in and the sandwich is just not the same. The buns are always warm at best and hard. Back in the 70's and 80's I would have matched Whataburger with anyone but today In-N-Out is better in my opinion. As far as Fort Worth fastfood, I think the old Merry Go Round and Chuc Wagons were comparable to the best of them.

[Keller Pirate]

I agree about Sonic and White Castle.

I think people that really really like Whataburger probably wouldn't like In-N-Out. I like both, but they are different animals, Whataburger is a drier type burger and In-N-Out is sloppier. For what it is worth I have been boycotting Whataburger for about 5 years because of their terrible service. I like the burger and I have cheated on the boycott a few times, but I only eat there when I dine in. They consistently failed to deliver my order at the drive up window, at least I can grab them by the neck at the walk in.

Consumer Reports magazine just came out with a report on fast food burgers and In-N-Out and Five Guys tied for first and Fuddruckers came in third. I would say that reflects my views pretty closely, except I might swap Fudd's with Five Guys.

[AndyN]

If you want to make me angry, ask me if I want cheese on that. Or a fried pie. I hate push marketing. Whataburger is slow since they are cooking fresh to order, but the old saying for any kind of fast food is that "they @&%$! you in the drive through". I rarely ever eat fast food anymore, but I don't leave my spot at the window til I've checked my order. I don't care how big a hurry they are for you to leave. It's even worse when you are traveling and don't figure out the mistake until you are 15 miles down the interstate.

There is nothing in the world like a WB No. 2, double mustard with jalapenos. That'd be part of my death row final meal.

Posted via Mozilla Firefox on Windows 7 64 bit platform.

Edited by AndyN, 09 September 2010 - 03:38 PM.

[txsloth]

Am I the only one that gets miles of blank space each time Andy posts after this forum upgrade?

[Keller Pirate]

Am I the only one that gets miles of blank space each time Andy posts after this forum upgrade?

My Dell was acting up pretty bad after the upgrade, including huge blank spaces on Andy's posts. Sometimes the posts (not Andy's) were vertical instead of horizontal. Also the forum absolutely refused to open the Streetcar circulator thread.
I fixed all of those problems with a new Mac and the forum seems OK so far. Where do I send the bill for the new computer?

[Phil Phillips]

Agree about Whataburger being quite good but different from any other brand. Since McD's changed their oil for the fries, I think WB are the new king for fries. I have to say, however, that I never ate McD fries with ketchup and always eat WB with ketchup, so maybe that's not a fair comparison. For all you burger freaks, I find that Braums has very good (and different) burgers. Also, most of the Burger Box locations (not all) are very good.

[elpingüino]

It's official: In-N-Out will open in mid-2011 in the West 7th development, at the northwest corner of Seventh and Currie.

http://www.star-tele...st-seventh.html

I believe that site is currently an empty lot next to a Wendy's.

[Keller Pirate]

Well, I pretty much believe it now. Still seems odd they would lease, rather than own the property. I hope they aren't lowering their standards.

I will be down there, after the first months euphoria and lines slack off some.

[David Love]

Well, I pretty much believe it now. Still seems odd they would lease, rather than own the property. I hope they aren't lowering their standards.

I will be down there, after the first months euphoria and lines slack off some.

I think they're just hedging their bets in this economy.

Ran out of time, need something quick for the kids, okay, makes perfect sense to run to the nearest burger joint, but to take time to drive over and try the latest version of a burger. To be honest, someone that drives to a burger joint when they have access to a grill of their own just seems, ...seems un-Texan to me.

[cjyoung]

Not all of us have hours to sit around grillin', yet want a great burger every now and then.

[mmiller2002]

Some interesting competiton for Fred's and Love Shack!

Probably not, but maybe for the Wendy's

[Keller Pirate]

The reason I don't like this location for In-N-Out is that West 7th is yupifying, it looks like Knox-Henderson in Dallas. In-N-Out is primarily a drive thru place that only servers burgers, fries and drinks, with the most expensive item on the menu a double cheeseburger for about $3. Will they do well? Yes. It just doesn't seem to match what the developers are trying to achieve in that area.

Did anyone notice that Zippy's downtown closed? Also, you only have until next Thursday to say farewell to Billy Miner.

[John T Roberts]

I was on West 7th this morning and they have started moving dirt on this project.

[KerbyH]

McDonald's used to be next to Wendy's. They left several years ago. I think In-and-Out will be right on the corner, which would leave the old McDonald's lot empty. But I do find it humorous that McD left and I&O is coming in to basically the same spot...

[John T Roberts]

La Familia moved into the old McDonald's building, then it was sold to developers. After La Familia opened their current location, the old McDonald's was demolished and the new two story bank was built on that site. Yes, McDonald's did leave the area, but they had a bigger, newer restaurant a few blocks away at Camp Bowie and Montgomery.

[John T Roberts]

This week Channel 8 announced that the first area In-N-Out Burger will open in North Dallas where they are remodeling an old Steak 'n Shake.

[JBB]

Sounds like another location is being planned for Hurst near the intersection of Precinct Line and Airport Freeway. If the location mentioned in the S-T is correct, it sounds like it's going behind the QT. It should be an interesting traffic situation in that area given the upcoming freeway construction and already huge traffic for QT.

[Thurman52]

They seem to have stalled out on 7th. Cleared the lot, Storm Water Barriers up but then stopped.

[txsloth]

They seem to have stalled out on 7th. Cleared the lot, Storm Water Barriers up but then stopped.

Anyone know the latest? Apparently they have gone vertical on the one in Frisco. I had been under the impression ours on W. 7th was going to be the first to open.

[cjyoung]

In my limited In-N-Out experience (2 visits in Las Vegas) the inside was packed, even late at night. I took my team to one two summers ago and every seat was taken at 10 PM.

[ron4Life]

First of all I personally do not believe in building in many locations, specially when it's a company unique such as this. I mean two would have been enough for the metroplex, and West 7th should have been the first one in operation like planned. A quick story, I was in L.A. taking a tour of the city and the tour guide talked distinctively about this one restaurant that the former mayor of L.A. opened up and he said that on a daily bases this place has a huge crowd standing in line waiting. It was funny to me of how he told us, that he doesn't understand why that is the case. hmmm...

[Keller Pirate]

I never heard that West 7th was going to be the first In-N-Out in the metroplex, just Ft Worth. At least two other locations were announced before West 7th, but none were announced as the first to open. Since they are building a facility to provide fresh meat for their local stores I suspect they will start with at least 5 or 6 openings in the first year.

[Big Frog II]

I noticed today that construction has now started on the In-N-Out. How much time does it take to build one of these type buildings, 3 to 4 months?

[ron4Life]

Question. Will this be the only In-N-Out Burger location to be built from the ground up in the Metroplex? Seems like their converting in other locations, but I could be wrong..

[jefffwd]

Question. Will this be the only In-N-Out Burger location to be built from the ground up in the Metroplex? Seems like their converting in other locations, but I could be wrong..

No, I know of at least one other as posted on the Dallas Forum. This is a picture of the one in Frisco.

[ron4Life]

Oh ok, thanks for the information

[Big Frog II]

Foundation being poured today. I guess they will be open around the 4th of July.

[1badgmc]

Question. Will this be the only In-N-Out Burger location to be built from the ground up in the Metroplex? Seems like their converting in other locations, but I could be wrong..

The addresses for the 6 D/FW In-N-Out locations currently in the works:

2800 Preston Rd, Frisco.
150 Town Center Blvd, Garland.
190 E Stacy Rd, Allen.
7900 W 7th, Ft Worth.
750 Airport Fwy, Hurst.
7909 LBJ Fwy, Dallas.
7940 N Central Fwy #102, Dallas.