In-N-Out is almost every California resident’s favorite fast food chain, and for good reason. The chain’s consistency in serving up juicy burgers combined with stellar customer service ensures that any In-N-Out will be at least semi-packed with people at all hours of the day.
One thing In-N-Out has been notorious for is their secret menu, which features custom items that are not displayed on the regular menus inside of each location. While the secret menu used to be knowledge that traveled by word of mouth, often remaining within the circle of Californians, the secret menu items are not-so-secret anymore with the rise of TikTok, to the point that their website features some “Not So Secret Menu” items to inform those who are not in the loop.
If you’re still not in the know, have no fear: these are the must-try secret menu items, as recommended by California natives — and some of these orders have still not been revealed to the public on In-N-Out’s website.
Animal Style Double Double
McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Burger King has the Whopper, and In-N-Out’s signature burger is the Double Double — a burger with two beef patties, two slices of American cheese, lettuce, tomato, raw onion, and In-N-Out’s signature spread.
To level up the Double Double, order it “Animal Style.” If you’re not familiar with In-N-Out, this might seem weird to say at the counter when ordering, but this is a known code at any location. An Animal Style Double Double adds mustard-grilled beef patties, extra spread, caramelized grilled onions, and pickles to an already-indulgent burger.
One of my friends likes to take the Animal Style Double Double to another dimension by requesting chopped chilis on his burger for extra heat. Chopped chilis are a free secret menu topping that add tang and heat to any order, and they work especially well to cut against the added richness from the extra spread on an Animal Style Double Double.
Animal Style Fries
If you’re in the mood for something to snack on rather than a meal, I highly recommend ordering Animal Style Fries — known colloquially as “Animal Fries” to those who are familiar with the menu item. Whenever I feel extra hungry or I’m craving a little more than just French fries, I order Animal Fries.
It’s an order of French fries, but by ordering them animal style, the French fries come with a blanket of spread, melted American cheese, and chopped caramelized onions.
Animal Fries can be a bit messy, so I recommend using a fork if you want to keep your fingers clean. Another pro tip: ask for extra spread packets on the side to dip your Animal Fries into — the more sauce the better!
Flying Dutchman
The “Flying Dutchman” is definitely an out-of-the-box take on a burger — or, out-of-the-buns would be more accurate. It’s basically a Double-Double without buns: two beef patties with two slices of cheese in between them. In a sense, the meat patties serve as the “buns” and the cheese slices as the “toppings.”
Most Californians have perfected an additional hack that makes the Flying Dutchman more diverse in its flavor and texture: adding whole grilled onions. It sounds a little weird, but if you order the Flying Dutchman with whole grilled onions, the onion rounds serve as the “buns” and the burger patties and cheese become the filling.
This secret menu item is perfect for anyone wanting to meet their lofty protein goals while eating out.
Protein Style Burger
If you’re not a big fan of whole grilled onions, but you still enjoy the protein-forward Flying Dutchman concept, consider ordering a burger “Protein Style.” A Protein Style burger at In-N-Out replaces the burger buns with iceberg lettuce, transforming the burger into a delicious lettuce wrap of sorts.
You still get the same toppings as a regular burger — tomatoes, more lettuce, spread, etc. — but you eat them via a different vehicle.
If you’re trying to focus on getting in your protein, cutting carbs, or you simply want an extra crunch, ordering a burger Protein Style is definitely the way to go.
Neapolitan Shake
When I was much younger, my parents sometimes allowed my sister and I to share a milkshake at In-N-Out after persistent begging wore them down. In-N-Out offers three different flavors of milkshake: vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. My sister always wanted strawberry, and I usually wanted chocolate or vanilla — even after succeeding in getting our milkshake, it took additional effort to decide which flavor to get (my sister usually won).
Had I known about this secret menu item, my sister and I probably would have just ordered this every time. The Neapolitan Shake, similar to its namesake ice cream, combines all three available flavors into one vanilla-chocolate-strawberry milkshake.
The color might not look the prettiest once everything is mixed together, but it’s the taste that counts for this secret menu item.