Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Ben on December 09, 2023, 11:26:52 AM
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Idaho is finally getting its first In-N-Out, sort of by Boise. It was confirmed a year ago, and I have been cracking up at how crazy people are going in anticipation. The local news covers it practically daily. The Boise and Idaho reddits are filled with posts about when it will actually open (apparently next week). I think it might be more popular than Taylor Swift. :rofl:
Being a former cali guy, I am of course an In-N-Out fan, and will be visiting this one occasionally when I'm in the area, but probably not for at least three months given the kinds of lines they're going to have. In-N-Out always has crazy lines, but I expect these to be next level for a good while. I like the place, but not that much. :laugh:
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They're not in this corner of the yoo-ess-ay, so I have no way to compare. I remember there was a lot of excitement when 5 Guys first opened around here. I skipped the initial madness but I have since tried two different locations, and I was decidedly unimpressed. Not a bad burger, but IMHO definitely not worth the price or the hoopla.
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Never had In-N-Out. Friends who lived in California rave about it, though.
These two Brits have a really fun food channel.
Here's their video on In-N-Out
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I kinda look at In-N-Out the same as CFA. You're always gonna find a better, more expensive burger, but In-N-Out makes a great burger at a good price, and treats their employees (who are super friendly and hard working, just like CFA) really well. If I'm in an area that has an In-N-Out and most any of the other fast food places you find in the West, I generally gravitate to them, which I guess is what a lot of you Eastern guys do with Five Guys.
Anyway, great food IMO, but the fan base can get a little overenthusiastic, and that's especially been the case with this one. Possibly because they seem to have skipped Idaho for the longest time, opening franchises in all the surrounding states. Which is weird considering all the former Californians that live here. They have a super loyal customer base waiting for them.
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"I generally gravitate to them, which I guess is what a lot of you Eastern guys do with Five Guys."
Not this guy.
I've eaten at Five Guys a number of times and have NEVER been satisfied with it.
The meat is generally greasier than a Jiffy Lube and has virtually no taste.
Their fries are also almost completely tasteless. The last batch of fries I had from them didn't even taste like potatoes. They tasted like styrofoam.
And the price they charge?
Holy *expletive deleted*ing hell.
I can think of a dozen local burger places I'd pick over Five Guys, INCLUDING McDonald's AND Burger King.
If I want a really good burger, though?
I'm going to to either Foster's Grille or Glory Days Grill. Glory Days is local, I think Foster's is regional.
Both are, all told, either about the same price, or a bit cheaper, than Five Guys and the taste of the food FAR better.
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The Five Guys here in Hickory makes a pretty good burger, though to Mike's point it is a little greasy. My wife doesn't like their fries as they are cooked a bit too much for her taste. I like them just fine. Their prices keep going up and up, however. They have almost chased me away because of that. I don't believe I'm getting my money's worth anymore.
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I didn't feel that I was getting my money's worth when I was going there 20 years ago.
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I had In-N-Out during a field trip to CA in high school.
My vague memories are that it was like McDonald's, but a bit better.
There's one within 20 miles of me now as of last year, but I haven't gone to try it again yet.
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"I generally gravitate to them, which I guess is what a lot of you Eastern guys do with Five Guys."
Not this guy.
I've eaten at Five Guys a number of times and have NEVER been satisfied with it.
The meat is generally greasier than a Jiffy Lube and has virtually no taste.
Their fries are also almost completely tasteless. The last batch of fries I had from them didn't even taste like potatoes. They tasted like styrofoam.
And the price they charge?
Holy *expletive deleted*ing hell.
I can think of a dozen local burger places I'd pick over Five Guys, INCLUDING McDonald's AND Burger King.
I agree. I've tried 5 Guys twice, and I wasn't impressed by the food either time. And I agree with Mike that the prices are ridiculous. Their main competitor around here is another chain called Jake's Wayback Burgers -- I feel the same about them as I do about 5 Guys. For a burger, I'm perfectly happy with Burger King. Unfortunately, I don't like Burger King's fries (plus BK has been closing locations around here). I happen to like McDonald's fries better than any other burger joint, so I'll tolerate the McDouble just to get edible fries with my burger -- and not get totally robbed at the cash register.
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Steak and Shake had some good burgers but their fries were of the "shoe string" type. Can't stand them so I always ordered onion rings
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As much as I love their burgers, I'm not that crazy about the regular In-N-Out fries. Ordering them animal style is next level though. In fact I always order both my burgers and fries animal style.
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Steak and Shake had some good burgers but their fries were of the "shoe string" type. Can't stand them so I always ordered onion rings
Ditto. Never cared much for shoestring fries. McDonald's is about the smallest thickness fry I really like.
Anyone remember the seasoned potato wedges that KFC had? Those things were the absolute BOMB!
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Crap, I just realized that I biffed on adding the Jolly link in my post below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYu18Ap91lc
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Ditto. Never cared much for shoestring fries. McDonald's is about the smallest thickness fry I really like.
Anyone remember the seasoned potato wedges that KFC had? Those things were the absolute BOMB!
Lee's > KFC wedges
But even better are the wedges from a small chain here called indi's. Their spicy chicken will light you up and their wedges are to die for. Sometimes I stop in just for the wedges.
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Never heard of either of those.
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Ditto. Never cared much for shoestring fries. McDonald's is about the smallest thickness fry I really like.
Anyone remember the seasoned potato wedges that KFC had? Those things were the absolute BOMB!
The thinner fries must be a lot cheaper. I love thick cut fries, but almost no one sells them. Most fast food fries are terrible these days. Could be my tastes changed, but I think it is more than that.
There was a local mom&pop burger joint near work about 10 years ago that had great burgers and very thick steak fries that melted in your mouth (with the occasional greasy twice fried one). They closed down unfortunately.
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Anyone remember the seasoned potato wedges that KFC had? Those things were the absolute BOMB!
Have you had the wedges/fries that come with the breakfast combos at Wendy's?
Five Guys must be doing something right. Everyone complains about their prices, but a lot of people are willing to pay, apparently.
I never notice the grease on my 5 Guy's burgers. I'm too busy dodging the hot sauce that's always dripping out of them, the way I order 'em.
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Five Guys must be doing something right. Everyone complains about their prices, but a lot of people are willing to pay, apparently.
A lot of people pony up to buy over-priced coffee at Starbuck's, too. That doesn't mean it's not over-priced, it just means that some people aren't very careful about how they spend money.
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Five Guys must be doing something right. Everyone complains about their prices, but a lot of people are willing to pay, apparently.
McDonalds is far from cheap anymore either, which makes them much less desirable for me for quick road food, which is about the only time I go to McDonalds.
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"Have you had the wedges/fries that come with the breakfast combos at Wendy's? "
No, but I hear they are good. Unfortunately the only Wendy's close to me isn't really close to me, which is a pity (or a blessing) because I love their vanilla frostys.
Wendy's would be my first choice for a fast food burger, given my druthers.
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A lot of people pony up to buy over-priced coffee at Starbuck's, too. That doesn't mean it's not over-priced, it just means that some people aren't very careful about how they spend money.
Actually, what it means is that each person has a different set of likes and dislikes. I don't like Five Guys. Perd apparently does. Know what? That's fine. We don't agree, but c'est la vie.
I'm OK with Starbucks coffee. I'll get it occasionally. That I do is MY business. Want to sneer at me and tell me I'm not being careful with my money? Well I earn that money, so I guess I get to choose how I spend it. To those people, FOAD and mind your own business and keep your Democratic sensibilities of knowing how to better spend my money than I do to yourself.
Then again, there's a lot of crap other people spend money on that I think is just stupid as hell. Just as there are a lot of people who think that my spending north of $7,500 for Seren's cancer treatments is money wasted.
God forbid anyone ever actually say that to me face to face. They may not keep their *expletive deleted*ing teeth.
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McDonalds is far from cheap anymore either, which makes them much less desirable for me for quick road food, which is about the only time I go to McDonalds.
True. I always order from the Deals menu. Around here, they usually offer two McDoubles for $3.99. I customize them to leave off the cheese, onions, and mustard, and add extra pickles.
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Just as there are a lot of people who think that my spending north of $7,500 for Seren's cancer treatments is money wasted.
Well, you can be certain that *I* don't think that. =)
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McDonalds burgers are good if you don't happen to have any milk of magnesia in the house and you're a bit "stopped up". :old:
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A lot of people pony up to buy over-priced coffee at Starbuck's, too. That doesn't mean it's not over-priced, it just means that some people aren't very careful about how they spend money.
Starbucks and 5 Guys saw that market, and are serving it.
Realistically, you have to buy 5 Guys on a fairly regular basis for the higher cost to make any real difference. In the past year, I've had 5 Guys at least once, maybe twice. Had I chosen McDonalds, I'd be what - 5-10 bucks wealthier, at most? Over the course of a year?
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True. I always order from the Deals menu. Around here, they usually offer two McDoubles for $3.99. I customize them to leave off the cheese, onions, and mustard, and add extra pickles.
Every once in awhile I'll go to McCrapple's and get their breakfast sammiches. The chicken & biscuit is... decent. Not great, but decent.
The McCrapple's app makes getting two a good deal because you can get 2 for 1.
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The thinner fries must be a lot cheaper. I love thick cut fries, but almost no one sells them. Most fast food fries are terrible these days. Could be my tastes changed, but I think it is more than that.
There was a local mom&pop burger joint near work about 10 years ago that had great burgers and very thick steak fries that melted in your mouth (with the occasional greasy twice fried one). They closed down unfortunately.
I'm not sure that shoestrings are cheaper, but cost could be a factor. I think it's a case of a combination of factors, including getting the most out of each potato as well as processing time both at the plant as well as at the restaurant.
This is an interesting look at how McD's makes fries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfZLWEAiixo
I had no idea that they cannonized the potatoes.
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Well, you can be certain that *I* don't think that. =)
Your teeth are safe, good Sir!
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I've been to in-and-out when traveling. I don't get it. It's a fairly standard flat little patty on a normal bun. To me, unremarkable.
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I had no idea that they cannonized the potatoes.
Ah yes, Saint McFry. Patron Saint of grubs and other underground creatures.
When I worked at McD about 55 years ago we made our fries in house. Big bags of potatoes, a huge drum they were dumped into to get peeled and then the the slicer. We would do a 50 pound bag of potatoes as needed, sometimes several a day.
bob
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I'm not sure that shoestrings are cheaper, but cost could be a factor. I think it's a case of a combination of factors, including getting the most out of each potato as well as processing time both at the plant as well as at the restaurant.
This is an interesting look at how McD's makes fries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfZLWEAiixo
I had no idea that they cannonized the potatoes.
I assume a big factor is making it easier and faster to cook each fry uniformly and to the desired texture. Then again, I'm no cook, so that's just a guess.
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I assume a big factor is making it easier and faster to cook each fry uniformly and to the desired texture. Then again, I'm no cook, so that's just a guess.
That's a big factor for any restaurant or even home cook. If you buy a bag of fries or tater tots at the store, they're all going to be the same size. Length will vary with fries, but thickness will be very regular.
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Shoestring fries are a PITA to eat and lack any real potato flavor having just mainly the flavor of the oil they were fried in.
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Well, the one here opened today, and (of course it's on every news site) the news reported that they paved FOUR surrounding lots to allow for "car stacking" to keep the main drag from being overwhelmed. The location is right on probably the already most congested road in the state. Apparently some people got in line last night. ;/
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And yikes - they brought in 200 employees just to help with traffic for the first few days.
In-N-Out said it’s bringing in 200 “All Stars” just to help with traffic, according to a previous Statesman story, and has come up with a labyrinthine plan to wind vehicles through the parking lots at The Village and stage and stack cars in unused dirt lots before cars get to that promised land of the In-N-Out drive-thru window.
Read more at: https://www.idahostatesman.com/opinion/from-the-opinion-editor/article282930093.html#storylink=cpy
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We just had our first Jack in the Box open up here. What's APS's opinion of them?
I always like to wait 2-3 months to let the new staff settle in any time a new place opens.
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We just had our first Jack in the Box open up here. What's APS's opinion of them?
I always like to wait 2-3 months to let the new staff settle in any time a new place opens.
I used to eat at Jack in the Box back in the late 70's. It was the only place open near where I lived in San Diego at 2am or later. At that time I thought it was pretty good, of course I was probably impaired, I had 24 or so bars withing walking distance of my place and it was on the way home so I walked through the drive thru a lot. Now days the only fast food place we hit is Arby's and that is rare. For me most fast food burgers are pretty much the same.
bob
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I haven't been in years, but I remember Jack in the Box being pretty good. I think I usually got a couple of jumbo jacks and curly fries.
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We just had our first Jack in the Box open up here. What's APS's opinion of them?
I always like to wait 2-3 months to let the new staff settle in any time a new place opens.
Years ago (1980s) when I lived in Phoenix I would stop off some nights at Jack in the Box and get their Swiss Jack burger, fries and a Coke. Basically a hamburger in Swiss bread with Swiss cheese, IIRC. It was pretty good. This was after midnight on my way home from work.
We've got one just down the hill from us in Hickory. I stopped there a few times right after I moved here and they were uniformly meh.
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The estimated wait time for a meal by drive-thru at In-N-Out’s new Meridian location was, by noon Tuesday, up to 8 hours long.
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For those of you who remember the Drew Carey show and his interplay with Mimi, one of the funniest things I ever saw in that show, or ever, was when Drew walked up to her, looked her in the face, and ordered a hamburger, fries, and milkshake.
I almost fell off my chair I was laughing so hard.
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We just had our first Jack in the Box open up here. What's APS's opinion of them?
I always like to wait 2-3 months to let the new staff settle in any time a new place opens.
Wouldn't really recommend them, but they're OK if you just want a fast food burger. I can't predict if you'll like the tacos, which are a bit different from what most people would expect. Also, and I don't know if they have them at all locations, but the ones here serve egg rolls, of all things.
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Also, and I don't know if they have them at all locations, but the ones here serve egg rolls, of all things.
The egg rolls are not bad at all, and I do like their chicken teriyaki bowls.
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Wouldn't really recommend them, but they're OK if you just want a fast food burger. I can't predict if you'll like the tacos, which are a bit different from what most people would expect. Also, and I don't know if they have them at all locations, but the ones here serve egg rolls, of all things.
Years ago when I first moved to Hickory, I tried the tacos at the JitB just down the hill from our house. They were terrible. Not really tacos. Lots of filler in the meat. Almost as though it was something pre-mixed and squirted out of a tube into the shell.
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And yikes - they brought in 200 employees just to help with traffic for the first few days.
Didn't help. 8-hour wait according to this guy: https://twitter.com/Dexerto/status/1735193376423653694
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBSujHJW8AEYByC?format=png&name=small)
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Didn't help. 8-hour wait according to this guy: https://twitter.com/Dexerto/status/1735193376423653694
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBSujHJW8AEYByC?format=png&name=small)
Heh. I had to make the trip to the Albertsons Flagship today for stuff my regular grocery stores don't have. It's across the street from the In-N-Out. I got there at 0945, and did a quick estimate of cars in line (they open at 1030) and got to 120, though I know there were more. There were all kinds of flaggers in yellow vests out there organizing car queues for cars just to get in the regular line. Yeah, it's gonna be a while before I eat there for the first time.
I understand the walk-in lines were only an hour, but apparently the fans want the drive-thru experience. Newbies.
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8 hours?
Oh piss boy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQltwDoyM5s
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We just had our first Jack in the Box open up here. What's APS's opinion of them?
I always like to wait 2-3 months to let the new staff settle in any time a new place opens.
I used to hit the one in Oxnard when I was out that way. They are pretty good, for fast food burgers. I liked the sourdough burger and the breakfast buritto.
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Roy Rogers, when they were still a relatively common fast food joint, had GREAT sour dough.
They still have sour dough bread and rolls on the menu, but there aren't any really convenient to me anymore since I stopped making the regular trip to Pennsylvania. There was one about half way that was a good stopping point to get something to eat and get gas at one of the stations.
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Roy Rogers, when they were still a relatively common fast food joint,
Man, that is a blast from the past. We had one of those in the town I did most of my youth in, long before the Arby's opened up. I may have actually worked there for a while.
So, it sounds like if you are going to the Idaho In-N-Out you better pack a lunch! ???
bob
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I truly miss Roy Rogers. Their roast beef sandwiches were excellent, but their BBQ and horsey sauce were exceptional.
They also had some of the best fried chicken I've ever had.