| Stacy Perman has a special book out now called | | | | After Harry Snyder died, his youngest son |
| IN-N-OUT-BURGER...an inside look at the rise and | | | | Richard took over the business. Under Richard |
| RISE of my beloved In-N-Out Burger. Through | | | | Snyder...In-N-Out Burger expanded to all parts of |
| Perman's no-nonsense prose, we are taken back | | | | California, and extended into Nevada, Arizona, and |
| to the late 40's...Post World War II America is | | | | eventually Utah. He also took In-N-Out Burger out |
| prospering, and a young man named Harry | | | | of just being a simple, walk-up, drive-thru |
| Snyder meets a restaurant manager named | | | | experience and turned into walk-up, drive-thru |
| Esther Johnson, falls in love, and soon opens a | | | | AND indoor restaurant experience. A deeply |
| modest hamburger stand in Baldwin Park, | | | | religious man, it was Richard Snyder who |
| California in 1948. Through hard work, and a fierce | | | | implemented a policy of having religious |
| determination to serve quality food at low | | | | references to the Bible located on the bottom of |
| prices...Harry & Esther's small business quickly | | | | various In-N-Out Burger cups and paper...a practice |
| caught on, and soon the business was drawing | | | | they continue to use to this day. Yet even in their |
| large crowds, and large traffic jams. Harry Snyder | | | | broad expansion...Richard insisted on keeping |
| called his business "In-N-Out-Burger" in reference | | | | In-N-Out Burger exactly the way his father left |
| to his business accommodating the booming car | | | | it...family-owned, with all of the food fresh and |
| culture that emerged after World War II...In order | | | | made to order. Sadly, by the time In-N-Out |
| to speed up the ordering process (& to save | | | | Burger hit 200 stores...Richard Snyder (and other |
| money on the cost of waiters and waitresses) | | | | In-N-Out Burger executives) were killed in a plane |
| Snyder invented a two-way speaker box so that | | | | crash in 1993. |
| customers can give their orders while waiting in | | | | Harry & Esther's oldest son, Guy, choose a |
| their cars...essentially creating the modern | | | | different path than his younger brother Richard. |
| drive-thru experience we have today. | | | | For Guy Snyder...life was about fast cars, racing, |
| Unlike virtually every other fast food business in | | | | and lots of drugs. Throughout his life, he fought |
| the U.S...Harry and Esther Snyder operated their | | | | constantly with his younger brother Richard. After |
| business as a way to make a living...NOT as a | | | | Richard's death...Guy took over the company, |
| way to get rich. Expansion was only out of | | | | slowed down expansion, yet kept the same core |
| necessity...after long lines and traffic jams called | | | | business values of his father and brother. |
| out the need for opening other stores to ease | | | | Unfortunately, Guy Snyder's life of struggle and |
| the congestion...Harry was a practical man...and | | | | excess got the better of him, and he died of a |
| only opened up another In-N-Out Burger if he had | | | | drug overdose in 1999...leaving behind two |
| the money to build the store, and purchase the | | | | ex-wives, his mother, and a daughter. |
| land under it. He never borrowed on credit...it was | | | | Esther Snyder did her best to run In-N-Out |
| always paid in cash. By the time Harry Snyder | | | | Burger for a number of years...though her health |
| died in 1976...In-N-Out Burger had about 18 stores | | | | soon began to fail, and she passed away in 2006, |
| in the Southern California area. Despite many | | | | at age 86. A power-struggle within the company |
| offers to expand further, and franchise...Harry and | | | | was brewing during Esther's final years...and in a |
| Esther Snyder insisted on keeping it a small, | | | | controversial move...Guy Snyder's ambitious |
| family-run business. Instead of cutting corners and | | | | ex-(step)son-in-law was named President of |
| costs in order to make more of a profit...the | | | | In-N-Out Burger upon Esther's death...with Guy's |
| Snyders did the opposite... paying extra money to | | | | estranged daughter, Lynsi Martinez waiting in the |
| not only have high quality food (with everything | | | | wings to come of age...and take over full |
| fresh and made to order)...but also to pay their | | | | ownership of the company... |
| employees a higher wage than anybody else. To | | | | All in all, I enjoyed reading IN-N-OUT-BURGER. |
| the Snyders...the workers at their In-N-Out Burger | | | | Considering how private the company is, Stacy |
| stores were the stars...and should be treated | | | | Perman did an excellent job in getting as much |
| accordingly. There were no employees at | | | | information as she could about the inner-workings |
| In-N-Out Burger...everyone was an | | | | and history of In-N-Out Burger. Though I am not |
| "associate"...never an employee. Customers were | | | | sure how much I liked Perman's writing in |
| always VIPs...and were always right Farmers, and | | | | general..there was something lacking in it...an |
| food merchants were treated like gold...In this | | | | absence of style, or zest perhaps? Another thing |
| simple yet radical mode of operation...everyone | | | | that annoyed me was Perman's tendency to pad |
| was happy...and with everyone happy...business | | | | her book a bit with repetition, and (what felt like) |
| always stayed strong. While every fast food | | | | non-pertinent information...That said, I am thankful |
| restaurant in the country added and changed their | | | | that ANYONE took the time to write a book like |
| menus in order to increase and expand | | | | this...and got a huge kick out of learning more |
| business...In-N-Out-Burger stayed exactly the | | | | about the place(s) I love...my home away from |
| same...sticking with Harry Snyder's motto "Keep it | | | | home...In-N-Out Burger. |
| simple; do one thing, and do it the best you can." | | | | |