I’ll Take That Animal Style

Yes, I am obsessed. It is no secret that if I am in California, Nevada or Arizona I will have at least one pit stop at the infamous In N Out Burger fast food joint (I clarify that statement with at least once, but usually more than that!).

In N Out Burger photo credit: Forbes.com

In N Out Burger photo credit: Forbes.com

The irony of my obsession is that what I absolutely love and order from In N Out is not even on the menu! The secret is that you must know exactly what to order as a vegetarian, otherwise it will be a very lackluster experience. I remember ranting and raving about In N Out to my best friend Sonia when she happened to be on a trip to Arizona. Unfortunately she didn’t know the specific order and ended up with a toasted bun with cheese, tomato and lettuce and that’s it. Blah, that sounds disgusting.

So, here’s the inside scoop. When you find yourself at an In N Out you must order the Grilled Cheese Animal Style. Yes, that is correct. Animal Style. It sounds dirty and you feel flat-out wrong and weird as a vegetarian asking for something “animal style”, but trust me on this one.

What this gets you is the best fast food vegetarian sandwich in my opinion. It is a perfectly toasted bun (I still don’t understand how a fast food place has gotten this down so well), melted cheese, crisp lettuce, tomato, and then the “animal style” part; fresh grilled onions, pickles, mustard and their “special sauce” (basically a thousand island dressing). In the end, it’s all about the grilled onions and special sauce that make the difference for this great sandwich. Otherwise, you could get the same thing pretty much anywhere else.

In N Out Burger LA

In N Out Burger LA

If you do get the sandwich, it is a given that you have to get the fries. The great thing about In N Out’s fries is that they are made on the spot at the restaurant from real potatoes. It is not like other fast food places where frozen, pre-cut fries are just dumped in the fryer. At In N Out, they literally are slicing the potatoes in front of you, frying and then serving. Freshness really is our friend and what a difference it makes=)

Ohhh, and here’s one more secret. You can order your fries “animal style” too! These fries come smothered in melted cheese, grilled onions and the secret sauce. Truth be told, if I’m having my sandwich “animal style”, I actually like to keep the fries plain and simple. That way, it can’t take away from my one obsession that I have traveled at least 1,500 miles to enjoy.

6 thoughts on “I’ll Take That Animal Style

      1. Jordan

        Idk if they use the same grill as the meat or not. As a vegetarian, which is different than vegan, I wouldn’t be that concerned about it myself. Also the cheese is not vegan (it is vegetarian though as vegetarians do eat dairy); it is real cheese though and not the processed American cheese.

        Reply
        1. Cathy

          I’m a vegetarian, not vegan. And no, not all cheeses are vegetarian. The dairy isn’t what makes cheese non-vegetarian, as that’s not the only ingredient. Most cheeses traditionally use animal rennet when they’re produced, which is the lining of a young calf’s stomach. There’s a way to make cheese using microbial or vegetable derived enzymes, but not everyone uses it. That’s why some cheeses are labeled “vegetarian” at stores and others aren’t.
          I wasn’t able to find information anywhere whether cheese used at in-n-out is safe for vegetarians or not.

          Reply

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