The History of Animal-Style Fries

Animal-style fries originated at the popular fast-food chain In-N-Out. According to a book written by current owner and In-N-Out heiress Lynsi Snyder, back in the early days of the restaurant, some customers were known to wreak havoc while waiting for their orders and the employees nicknamed them “animals” because of their behavior. According to legend, in the early 1960s, one of these rowdy customers noticed an employee making a custom burger and asked to try it. He loved it so much that he ordered the special burger every time he came to In-N-Out. As the custom burger became increasing popular, the variation gained a name derived from its early fans: animal-style. The animal-style burger was the first “secret menu” item at In-N-Out, but it wasn’t the last. In-N-Out is known for its relatively plain-tasting fries and over time, customers began ordering their fries "animal-style" to jazz up the flavoring. Today, animal-style fries are one of the most popular orders at In-N-Out and there are even copycat recipes available online so that fans can make their own at home.