The burger is an American icon. If, as a Brit, I had to choose an emoji to sum up this country, it would undoubtedly be the burger emoji. Naturally, upon crossing the pond and touching down on these shores, I promised myself that I would try all of the burgers of this fine land.

Back home in London, we feel hard-done-by when it comes to our choice of burgers. Yes, we have the golden arches of McDonald's and the iconic castles of the Burger King, but we have nowhere near as many choices as you Americans.

Out here in the land of the free, there is Wendy's, Jack in the Box, Carl's Jr., Five Guys, Whataburger, Sonic, and Dairy Queen, to name but a few. Oh my, I'm drooling at the thought.

spam
Grace Baumann

To start off my burger-eating adventure, I thought I'd follow a friend's recommendation and try my very first In-N-Out.

Upon arrival, I was offered a branded In-N-Out paper hat. 10/10 for customer service. I would not, however, let this little bribe affect the review of my impending culinary experience.

I'd been advised beforehand to order from the 'secret' In-N-Out menu. The idea of a secret menu really appealed to me. I felt like I was in-the-know and, more excitingly, that the cashier and I were sharing a sordid secret together.

After whispering, "I'll have a double-meat and animal fries" into the ear of the cashier, I eagerly awaited the calling of my number in order to take my first bite of 100% pure, American freedom.

The Burger

cheese, bacon
Joshua Zitser
As soon as my number was called, I rushed over to the counter and prepared myself to test the taste. Aesthetically, the burger glistened like a beacon of meaty goodness. Taste-wise, it was equally as glorious. The meat was tender and well-seasoned, the bun was suitably soft and the sauce complemented the meat perfectly. All in all, it was indescribably tasty.

The Fries

lettuce, cheese, beef, bun, meat, sandwich, bacon, bread, onion, hamburger
Elisa Djuhar

The animal fries, however, looked far less appealing. The gigantic tower of fries were submerged in a gloopy mess. "Looks aren't everything," I thought to myself and proceeded to shovel a huge pile of fries into my mouth

The fries were mediocre at best. They were extremely salty, somewhat soggy, and the grease seeped into the pores of my hands. The sauce was over-bearing and left a peculiarly tangy after-taste.

Despite the disappointing fries, the burger certainly redeemed the famed burger joint's reputation. It was, by all accounts, far better than any burger I had ever tried in England.

I left In-N-Out with a full stomach, a delightful hat on my head, and a yearning to try some more great American burgers in the future.