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Editor's ViewpointMeditations Of A Minnesota Mossback |
Secret Menus … And Magic Words
I never cease to be amazed at the creativity of business owners in the United States, and have been waiting to share an experience I had while visiting Daughter No. 2 in San Francisco in June.
She took me to In-N-Out Burger.
Other than the Horseshoe Burger at The Blacksmith Lounge in Hugo (okay, I’m a fan), I doubt that I have ever in my life enjoyed such a great hamburger.
In-N-Out Burger is part of California culture and, including Arizona, Nevada and Utah, now serves up fast food in over 250 locations. Founded in 1948, In-N-Out sported the very first drive-thru hamburger stand in the state, using a two-way speaker box—a novel idea at a time when car hops were delivering food to customers who wished to order from their car.
I wish In-N-Out would come to Minnesota.
This sparkling clean, red and yellow restaurant serves up great French fries (made on the premises from real potatoes), a fresh hot burger, and a delicious shake in no time, and for little money.
There’s only one drawback— that’s pretty much the extent of the menu posted above the super-friendly cashier.
As we prepared to order, my daughter leaned over and whispered that there is a secret menu.
“A secret menu?” I asked, startled.
“We can get grilled onions on our cheeseburger,” she said.
“But that’s not posted on the board!” I said.
“Exactly. You have to know the magic words,” my daughter said, her eyes dancing.
“To get grilled onions on your cheeseburger, you have to order it ‘Animal-Style.’”
I was entranced, though no stranger to the concept of magic words: we had several while I was growing up, the most useful one being “please,” closely followed by “thank you.”
The idea of being able to order something not listed on the restaurant menu by using a secret code had great appeal, and I planned to have grilled onions on my cheeseburger whether I felt like an idiot ordering it or not.
“Two cheeseburgers, Animal-Style,” I said, tentatively, “two orders of French fries, and a couple of chocolate shakes.”
Smiling, the cashier rang it up without batting an eyelash.
I was elated, much like I felt when I had uttered the proper password—the one we’d agreed on at breakfast— so my brother would lower the rope ladder and let me up into the treehouse.
My daughter and I ate our juicy fare and I pocketed the receipt. It’s still taped up at my desk, “2 CHB, Animal - $4.20” so I know I didn’t imagine it.
If you go to California, consider visiting In-N-Out. If you need an excuse, just chalk it up to a personal study of popular culture.
And if you want a cheeseburger with four beef patties, hand-leafed lettuce, tomato, spread, four slices of American cheese, with or without onions stacked high on a freshly-baked bun, you’ll just have to say the magic words.