In-N-Out returns to Singapore, sees snaking queues
If you’ve been to the US or well-versed in American pop culture, you might be familiar with In-N-Out’s iconic Animal-style burgers.
For those unfamiliar with the brand, In-N-Out is a family-run business specialising in fresh beef burgers since 1948. Known for its commitment to food quality, the company does not franchise its operations. Consequently, In-N-Out outlets are limited to the United States.
Following its last pop-up in Singapore in 2019, the American burger chain returned to tease Singaporeans with its signature offerings.
The brand had quietly placed an advertisement in The Straits Times on May 29, inviting fans to visit its one-day-only pop-up event at cafe Columbus Coffee along Upper Thomson Road. The event was slated to run from 10am to 4pm.
We just knew we had to get our hands on these and joined the queue.
In the queue
In true Singaporean fashion, there were more than 100 people in the queue when we arrived at Columbus Coffee Co. at 8am — two hours before the doors opened.
In 2019, In-N-Out fans started lining up as early as 6.30am. But this year, fans have kicked it up a notch.
Nick, 36, who had been the first in line during In-N-Out’s 2019 pop-up, didn’t manage to snag the pole position this time round. “I’ve always been a burger fan and I have my day off today, so I came down here at 4.45am,” he told HungryGoWhere.
University hallmates Jia Jia, 21, and Shivani, 19, arrived at 3.30am and were at the top of the queue instead. “We didn’t sleep at all,” said Jia Jia, “but we are quite used to it since we are students.”
Some in line came well-prepared, with field chairs and drinks.
14-year-old Kei, who was accompanied by her mother Jenny, 47, was looking forward to the brand’s signature Animal-style burgers. They had seen the advertisement the night before and made an impromptu decision to make an early visit. They had previously tried out the burgers in Los Angeles and were happy to see its appearance in Singapore, said Jenny.
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In-N-Out burgers
The brand had brought three burgers over for its Singapore pop-up: The signature Double-Double (from S$11), which included two beef patties, the cheeseburger (from S$7), and the hamburger (from S$5). Diners can choose to have their burgers in Animal-style with extra pickles, spread and grilled onions, or Protein-style — wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun.
Merchandise such as hats (S$15) and T-shirts (S$25) were also on sale.
HungryGoWhere understands from staff on the ground that 600 burgers were up for grabs this year. These were distributed on a first-come-first-served basis with a one-burger limit per customer.
At 8.30am, In-N-Out staff went down the line to distribute wrist tags to patient fans in the queue.
The brand was due to open officially at 10am, but opened its doors and began service an hour earlier than scheduled.
We finally stepped out of the humidity into the air-conditioned haven of Columbus Coffee Co. at 10am. Upon entry, we were given a complimentary In-N-Out keychain.
Despite the long queue, the staff’s control of the crowd was excellent — they managed to ensure the space was not too crowded, so that we had a pretty pleasant dining environment.
The ordering process was a breeze: The staff at the counter patiently explained the various burgers and gave us free stickers.
At 10.20am, we got our hard-won burgers and chips. The Double-Double and the cheeseburger, both in Animal-style, were fresh and juicy, with gooey melted cheese — a satisfying meal to quell our morning hunger. It did feel rather anticlimactic after the long wait and hype, though.
All 600 wrist tags were given out by 10.50am.
By the time we had wrapped our meal around 11am, there were still hundreds of people eagerly waiting in the line, with helpful staff members dressed in In-N-Out shirts giving out cups of water along the queue to quell the heat.
Missed out on the event? Gear up for the next big fast-food pop-up by Chick-fil-A, or McDonald’s and KFC’s limited-time offerings!
Feel free to explore the GrabFood Dine-in service for awesome deals.
Don’t forget to book a ride to your next fast-food feast.
Chang Qi
Author
Chang is in an everlasting relationship with food and tries to have fun every now and then.
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