This Fast Food Chain Won't Use Microwaves Or Freezers At Any Location

Okay, let's be real: When we're jonesing for some fast food, we know it's not going to be a Michelin-star affair. We understand there's a real risk our meal is going to see the inside of a microwave. Of course, there are exceptions to any rule, even within the delicious mediocrity of drive-thru fare. Case in point? In-N-Out Burger, which famously uses neither microwaves nor freezers to prepare its food or store its ingredients. There's a reason why Ina Garten has heart eyes for its burgers, after all. Even the iconic Julia Child loved In-N-Out.

One of the reasons the chain has such a cult following (one we personally can attest to — it really is that good) is because of the company's commitment to quality. When you sit down in one of those classic white-and-red booths, you know the burger (or grilled cheese) you're about to tear into will be every bit as delicious as a meal at a full sit-down restaurant. The produce is fresh, the buns are spongy, and the beef? It's next level: juicy, delectably tender, with the perfect seasoning and slight char. You don't get that kind of quality from a pre-made patty that's been warmed up in a microwave.

In-N-Out doesn't keep microwaves or freezers in any of its stores, which means everything — from the crisp lettuce and firm tomatoes to the beef and buns — is always fresh. And that beef? It's 100% USDA ground chuck, with zero additives, fillers, or (you guessed it) preservatives. In fact, In-N-Out inspects and selects its own beef, processing it — deboning, grinding, and forming it into patties — entirely for absolute quality control. Because it doesn't freeze the beef at any stage, the company generally requires each restaurant to be within a day's drive of a beef distribution center. Historically, these were only in California — thus the limited range.

In-N-Out was founded in 1948, and it didn't expand past the Golden State until 1992 (when it moved into Las Vegas, Nevada) — and then it would be eight more years before a location opened in Arizona. Add another eight years to that, and the chain finally hit Utah. In 2011, this expansion reached Texas, and only in 2025 did the company get as far east as Tennessee. Because of this slow growth, many see In-N-Out as having a certain exclusivity, leading to a veritable frenzy when one opens in a new location (or when the brand does a pop-up event overseas).