In-N-Out Burger Beach Blvd (Huntington Beach, CA, United States)
First-time Kiwi review of California’s iconic In-N-Out Burger. Comparing Double-Double and Cheeseburger meals to New Zealand’s BurgerFuel and Fergburger. Finally tried the iconic In-N-Out during our family trip to California ! The Double-Double definitely lived up to the hype, but those queues were no joke! Worth the wait for a juicy, tasty burger at such a great price. #InNOut #DoubleDouble #CaliforniaEats #FirstTimeInNOut #KiwiInCali
Yes, I’m reviewing In-N-Out Burger, and yes, we recently visited America! We’ve just arrived back in New Zealand, and I’ll be sharing some of the restaurants we tried during our family trip. You might wonder, why review In-N-Out? Well, it’s special for us since this was our first time trying this iconic American burger joint. We don’t have In-N-Out in New Zealand, and after hearing so much hype, we knew it had to be on the top of our list.
So, how did it turn out? Let’s start with the first thing that hit us—why is there always a big queue at every In-N-Out Burger? We visited multiple locations, and every single one had long lines, both in the drive-thru and inside. Living in New Zealand for almost 20 years, we’re not used to queuing for food like this, so it was a bit of a culture shock. After attempting the drive-thru and realizing it was painfully slow, we parked and headed inside.
Inside, the line was still long but moved quicker than outside. I was amazed at how many staff were packed into that small kitchen—at least 20, each with their own station, working efficiently like a well-oiled machine.
The menu is refreshingly simple: just three types of burgers, fries, and drinks/shakes. We ordered the Double-Double Burger meal (US$10.45) and a Cheeseburger meal (US$8.65), both of which come with fries and drinks. If you get just the burger, it’s US$5.90 for the Double-Double and US$4.10 for the Cheeseburger.
This was our very first meal in California, and it was intentional! So, how did the famous Double-Double stack up? At this price point, it was excellent. I’ve had better burgers, but not for this price. To give you some perspective, the Double-Double is about NZ$10.17 at today’s exchange rate. Burgers in New Zealand, like those from BurgerFuel or Fergburger, are better but also pricier. The American Muscle the cheapest at BurgerFuel is NZ$13.90, and while superior, it’s NZ$3.73 more. The Fergburger the cheapest at Fergburger, at NZ$16.50, is even bigger and better, but that’s NZ$6.33 more. The closest comparison for price and taste might be a Whopper with Cheese from Burger King New Zealand, which costs NZ$11.20.
In US terms, though, In-N-Out is fantastic value for money. The Double-Double was juicy, with crisp-edged patties and fresh vegetables that added a nice balance. My wife and daughter compared the Cheeseburger to a Junior Whopper from Burger King NZ. It was good, but the single patty felt a bit dry, and the vegetables overpowered the burger. The Double-Double, however, was in a league of its own—juicy, flavourful, and well worth the hype.
As for the fries, they were a bit hit-or-miss. When fresh, they were great—crispy and reminiscent of Pik-Nik Potato Strings. But once they cooled down, they lost their appeal. So, if you’re ordering fries, devour them quickly while they’re hot!
Unfortunately, we missed out on the milkshakes, as we were overwhelmed while ordering and forgot to add them. We also learned later, thanks to my wife’s cousins, that In-N-Out has a secret menu! That’s something we’ll have to try next time.
Overall, for the price, it’s a great burger experience. The place was packed, and understandably, it wasn’t the cleanest. With that many people coming in and out, maintaining cleanliness must be a challenge. Our order took about 25 minutes, which felt slow, but it’s understandable given the number of patrons. Seating indoors was hard to come by, but we noticed the outdoor area always had space.
We enjoyed our In-N-Out experience. Compared to New Zealand standards, where we have access to great beef, potatoes, and no queues, it’s different. But for what it is—affordable, tasty fast food in the US—it’s definitely worth the visit. If you haven’t tried it yet, go for the Double-Double, and maybe skip the queue by dining in rather than doing the drive-thru.
In-N-Out Burger
Address: 18062 Beach Blvd, Huntington Beach, CA 92646, United States
Phone: +1 800-786-1000
Website: https://www.in-n-out.com/
