Colorado is apparently an interesting bird when it comes to national chains. Denver (the population core) is a remarkable distance away from other major population centers, leaving supply and distribution networks as a significant barrier.
But, over time, as we’ve lived here, those barriers have slowly fallen. Trader Joe’s. IKEA. And, it seems, finally, the one thing that people (or California immigrants) have jonesed after for so long …
In-N-Out Burgers is finally arriving. Albeit, initially, down in Colorado Springs.
To be sure, there’s also been some melodrama over the chain reaching out to Colorado, as the family elders that owned the company long resisted departing from California. With various deaths and legal battles, the “Go East, Burger Folk! Go East!” contingent in the family seems to have triumphed.
Hopefully it will be an expansion that pays off, rather than breaking the company.
In-N-Out, as a California thing, is probably more admired from loss and nostalgia amongst California immigrants than is warranted. That said, it beats the heck out of Burger King, in particular in its burgers. (Its fries are fresh, but not my favorites). While I have no doubt the initial stores will be mobbed, it will not be a slam-dunk that they will have massive success and victory here; there are a lot of burger places already, and I’m honestly not sure that I would go to an In-N-Out before I’d go to, say, a Sonic.
There’s also a sense of loss as one more very localized chain becomes a more national one. There’s something to be said for saying, “Hey, going to California is cool, because that’s where you can find In-N-Outs.” If they’re available everywhere, then the cachet suffers (see also: Coors).
In-N-Out is coming to Colorado, for real this time – Denverite
I tend to find these things overrated for the most part. I've never eaten at an In-N-Out as it's been over a decade since I was last in California, but when Five Guys and Sonic finally showed up in my region and I got to try them I was all "This is it? Really?" Given all the hype those two restaurants had, when I finally got to try them I was underwhelmed. Sonic, in particular, was surprising only for how few items they had on their menu.
I'm a huge fan of Red Robin's burgers and Bagger Dave's (https://www.baggerdaves.com/) is a Michigan chain that also gets a lot of my business for their Train Wreck burger. Five Guys and Sonic weren't bad per se, but nothing that I'd crave like these other two.
https://www.baggerdaves.com/
In-N-Out Burger sucks.
+Les Jenkins Red Robin, at least, is a different bird from the rest — it's table service, not fast food.
That said, there is a certain degree of hype (esp. by ex-pats) over regional restaurants — nostalgia and "I can't just drive over and get something from there" blur into "THEY ARE AWESOME!" very easily.
I like Five Guys as a definite cut above McDonald's and BK and Wendy's, but that's about it. I like Sonic better, to the extent that's what I keep my eyes (or Map) open for when looking for drive-thru fare, but if both chains suddenly withdrew from the Denver area, I wouldn't be devastated.
The analogous cases here in the pasdt that I can think of were the arrival of Steak-n-Shake (which I found vastly overrated and don't visit any more even though it's highly convenient to us) and Krispy Kreme donuts (which had half-hour lines when they first arrived, though those have tempered substantially).
I like In-N-Out, and I will doubtless visit if one opens up here (convenient to my trips to California significantly diminishing), but I might wait a few months after they first arrive to let the storm tide recede.
I still miss Pup 'n' Taco. 🙁
+Scott Randel Wow. It's been years since I thought of Pup 'N' Taco.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pup_%27N%27_Taco
I'd rather things stayed local. It makes it more fun to go somewhere else and try new things. I hate it when I go somewhere and all the same damn stores are everywhere.
We've had them in parts of Texas for a while. To me, they can't compete with our homegrown institution, Whataburger, but it makes for a lively debate.
+Cindy Brown I kind of feel the same way. But the drivers of (a) the profits of a nationwide business and (b) nostalgia for folk who have moved away from the area make that a difficult thing to resist.
There's a flip side there, too. As a business traveler, it's neat to try some place new, esp. on a local recommendation. There are also times when it's very relaxing and comforting to spot something you are familiar with when in an unfamiliar place and go there.
We have so many good local burger joints, it's hard to move in with anything other than "well, you know what you're going to get." I particularly recommend Atomic Bob's Burgers in Golden, right across from Coors. They are worth driving to Golden for. Big ol' green chili on your burger, if you wish.
In my limited experience, In-N-Out was two steps above Sonic, one above Burger King, but below Fatburger and Smashburger. At the Five Guys I’ve tried the patties had no taste, and the bacon on a bacon burger had almost none… with is quite a trick with bacon.
The In-N-Out burgers are excellent. Sonic wins points for variety (and tots).
Smashburger is its own beast, as it does table-top, not drive-through service. I’m less impressed by their burgers, but I enjoy their food a lot.
Five Guys has the advantage of very flexible invent-your-own options, but the burgers are only so-so. They serve a ghastly number of fries, which is, I guess, a plus.
+John Bump I will bear that in mind next time I'm over in Golden. 🙂