Chipotle/In-n-Out. Pls explain to me... (CLIFFS)

[MusicProducer]

Maybe some of you business/marketing brahs can explain this to me...

I don't understand how these 2 fast food joints ended up creating a "culture" around themselves. Growing up here in Southern California, all my life I have seen how people put In-n-Out in a category of its own, like it's some kind of god-tier burger joint. Every time I drive past an In-n-Out there is a huge line of a cars. I love burgers and In-n-Out makes a yummy-ass burger, but if we think about this logically, everybody's got different preferences when it comes to food and for a restaurant to dominate in sales in such a narrow category as "hamburgers and french fries" implies that it's something other than the taste of the food that is drawing people in.

It's not like people just say "I'm gonna go grab a burger at In-n-Out" and leave it at that. People say "DUDE.. I'm gonna go get some IN-N-OUT" or.. "LETS GO GET SOME IN-N-OUT" as if it's some kind of special event. The only other restaurant here in the west coast in a similar category is Chipotle. So now there are 2 fast food joints with a sort of culture built around them.

I don't think I am particularly special in my food preferences and I'm definitely not very picky, so when I see all the hype around Chipotle and In-in-Out, I just don't understand it. IMO In-n-Out makes a tasty burger and Chipotle makes overpriced burritos of mediocre quality.

Similarities i notice between these 2 restaurants is that they promote "freshness" and have a very small menu. At In-n-Out they basically make one kind of burger -> beef patty, cheese (or not), onions (raw or grilled), lettuce, tomato, bun, and that's it. At Chipotle you just have a handful of ingredients they scoop from metal bins and either put in a tortilla in a bowl, and thats it. So is this the key?

What is it that enables these two fast food chains to dominate so hard?


CLIFFS
OP doesn't understand how In-n-Out and Chipotle dominate the market so hard
It doesn't make sense for a restaurants to draw in so many customers based on taste preferences alone
OP wants to know what other factors draw people to these restaurants

[sznbrah]

It's called brainwashing and propoganda.

[Odin21]

quality

everytime u go to either of those places u know exactly what u are getting

they make a quality product and are consistent with how they make it. fast service, good food.

[stilllmatic]

You don't say "ass-burger". You can say, thats a tasty "fukn" burger. But not ass.

[Dawginitup16]

Doesnt In-n-out have some sort of secret menu? Heard about this when I was recently in Cali.

[MusicProducer]

quality

everytime u go to either of those places u know exactly what u are getting

they make a quality product and are consistent with how they make it. fast service, good food.

Fair enough, but I've been to many KFC's, Jack in the Boxes, Burger Kings, Taco Bells, etc... and I have never run into a problem with consistency. All Taco Bells have tasted the same to me with the same quality, same goes for all other fast food places. In this aspect, In-n-Out and Chipotle do not trump the competition. Every time I go to Burger King and order I whopper, I know what I am getting and I get what I was expecting to get.

[EatxLiftxSleep]

Because its 'cool' to go to these restaurants. They don't advertise and they captured the youth market.

Other companies can't compete with them right now because you can't buy being 'cool'. So until the fad wears off they will dominate their respective markets.

They are ******** circa 2008-2010 right now. Their popularity will most likely fade in the next five years until something else becomes 'in', 'fashionable' and 'cool'.

People that love chipotle / in n out also love apple, starbucks and pop music...

[wheyman12]

Maybe in your mind?


Chipotle is nothing special.

In/out is only special when new spots open up outside their main region

[HMFIC_BROWSIN]

because they have the best food.

same with chick fil a:
go to KFC, then buy a comparable meal at chick fil a.... report back with results.

[MusicProducer]

Because its 'cool' to go to these restaurants. They don't advertise and they captured the youth market.

Other companies can't compete with them right now because you can't buy being 'cool'. So until the fad wears off they will dominate their respective markets.

They are ******** circa 2008-2010 right now. Their popularity will most likely fade in the next five years until something else becomes 'in', 'fashionable' and 'cool'.

People that love chipotle / in n out also love apple, starbucks and pop music...

I can buy this argument, but In-n-Out has been like this ever since I was a little kid, so for 25+ years it has been cool and they have been able to maintain this image with no decline in sight

because they have the best food.

same with chick fil a:
go to KFC, then buy a comparable meal at chick fil a.... report back with results.

Chic-Fil-A is good, but I prefer KFC. The seasonings on KFC are yummy as phuq and no amount of hype surrounding Chic-Fil-A will stop me. Can't remember the last time I was at KFC though. Dat high-calorie.

[Odin21]

Fair enough, but I've been to many KFC's, Jack in the Boxes, Burger Kings, Taco Bells, etc... and I have never run into a problem with consistency. All Taco Bells have tasted the same to me with the same quality, same goes for all other fast food places. In this aspect, In-n-Out and Chipotle do not trump the competition. Every time I go to Burger King and order I whopper, I know what I am getting and I get what I was expecting to get.

i hear yuh

i think it also feels like "real food" rather than "fast food". chipotle especially. but an in n out burger looks and has the feel of actual beef whereas mcdonalds meat looks processed and chitty

both have developed great reputations whereas places like wendys and kfc had incidents of the finger in the chili or the workers torturing the chickens. a lot of it is public perception as well.

[Nutkase]

I use to love chipotle!!! I thought it was God tier food, then one day I went in and I noticed they started skimping on the meat and the prices went up... I said "no thanks jeff" and never went back again.

[Rascion]

i dont know, it makes my appetite better being able see the potatoes being peeled and cut at in n out so i know its fresh. Same with "beef patties never frozen" assuming its true. Chipotle is just the GOAT bulking meal.

[TLTrooper]

It's called brainwashing and propoganda.

This. Corporations spend big coins to do R&D on the psychological effects of everything they put into the market, down to the bottle caps and containers that hold the actual product. Never heard the term "sell the brand?" its paramount next to the product itself. That's what helps keep customers coming back.

[EatxLiftxSleep]

I can buy this argument, but In-n-Out has been like this ever since I was a little kid, so for 25+ years it has been cool and they have been able to maintain this image with no decline in sight

I live on the east coast so I don't have any experience with in n out. Just what I've heard on here / tv. So there may be more than what I said above going on with them, but chipotle is pretty easy to read.

[arya24]

living in so cal too, i live on near a street with in n out on 1 side and chipotle on the other side, and they are always PACKED. why? for fast food, they are literally 10x better than the next best thing.


not to mention in n out is the goat double double animal style with fries $4.50

[Dajinn]

Chipotle and In-n-out are some of the biggest offenders of the naturalistic fallacy, that is, whatever "comes from nature" or is "untainted by man" must be better than alternatives of the same item, product, etc. The general pleb population loves this. "ORGANIC" "ALL NATURAL" "NO CHEMICALS ADDED". So on so forth.

[Bankruptt]

Lol @ pseudo intellectual breakdown of these restaurants.

1) both are objectively better in quality than most other fast food, I.e you actually get full and get decent macros on the cheap
2) both happen to be delicious

[SherOfPunjab]

Spent 4 days in San Diego this summer on vacation....ate junk mexican food...mostly various kinds of burritos....now Chipotle seems like legit garbage food with a price tag of *****

[LinuxJon]

Quality. Grew up across the street from in n out and miss it dearly.

[Bankruptt]

Chipotle and In-n-out are some of the biggest offenders of the naturalistic fallacy, that is, whatever "comes from nature" or is "untained" must be better than alternatives of the same item, product, etc. The general pleb population loves this. "ORGANIC" "ALL NATURAL" "NO CHEMICALS ADDED". So on so forth.

Although I agree on splitting hairs between organic/fresh and processed/GMO, the former ALWAYS tastes better. It's probably the strongest argument over processed food.

Professional chefs opt out for the grass fed organic beef due to better composition/taste, the quality in flavor is noticed

[Dajinn]

Lol @ pseudo intellectual breakdown of these restaurants.

1) both are objectively better in quality than most other fast food, I.e you actually get full and get decent macros on the cheap
2) both happen to be delicious

How do you objectify the quality? Stevia is a popular "all natural" from nature 0 calorie sweetener that actually has MORE potential for harm than artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, and the like.

[fr8train]

Innout is good, but it's fast food, I would never wait in line for it. There are videos online showing people waiting for hours just to get one hamburger. It blows my mind.


never had chipotle

[TheJukeBox]

Because people think its "healthier" than regular fast food. When in reality its still a greasy hamburger, processed cheese and french fries fried in oil.


Let people think what they want. If they get a false sense of being healthy by eating at In-N-Out for the 3rd time this week over McDonalds then so be it.

I have given up on trying to understand the idiocracy of todays society.


Dont get me wrong In-N-Out is delicious but when i hear people justify going there by saying "its healthier than Wendys!"

Thats like smoking a cigarette and going, its healthier than dipping. And it doesnt make you any less lazy by not cooking yourself something to eat for the 6th night in a row.


"But muh busy lyfe"

[HMFIC_BROWSIN]

Chic-Fil-A is good, but I prefer KFC.

Now I know for a fact you are lying for the sake of argument.

[Dajinn]

Although I agree on splitting hairs between organic/fresh and processed/GMO, the former ALWAYS tastes better. It's probably the strongest argument over processed food.

Professional chefs opt out for the grass fed organic beef due to better composition/taste, the quality in the mouth is noticed

You're trying to pass off subjectivity as the basis for validating your argument, which, doesn't make for a great argument no matter what the subject is. There is zero evidence that GMOs are any more harmful than "natural" derivatives.

[fr8train]

Now I know for a fact you are lying for the sake of argument.

Nah, I like KFC more too.

[young23]

Bout to get me two double double's protein style after seeing dis thread

[jones137]

Where else can I go and get fast food that provides 80 grams of protein, 60-70 carbs (f'ing brown rice so decent carb source) and 30 grams of fat.............for $8. And that's just double meat, double rice and double cheese...........I could go yolo and add double sour cream, salsa, corn, triple rice.........and it's still $8. Hormone and antibiotic free chicken.

brb go to McDonald's and get 4 McDoubles and die from Pink Slime.

[MusicProducer]

i dont know, it makes my appetite better being able see the potatoes being peeled and cut at in n out so i know its fresh. Same with "beef patties never frozen" assuming its true. Chipotle is just the GOAT bulking meal.

I can understand the potatoes thing. On the other hand, Chipotle offers nothing new in terms of macros though. You can get the same macro breakdown from 100 other possible meals from 100 other fast food restaurants. It's not like Chipotle offers anything any in terms of macro breakdown per meal.