True story: we ate a burger for lunch today and though it was a real treat (not to mention a nice change from our usual brown bagged turkey sandwiches and watery deli salads), we're sure it paled in comparison to what folks in Hendon, England enjoyed. Cult California chain In-N-Out Burger opened a pop-up shop in the London suburb earlier this afternoon and, for reasons still unknown, selected a seemingly obscure restaurant in that town to play host. After tricking the place out with signs, menus, and American burger cooks, Brits were able to get the full animal style double-double burger experience (though, sadly, no fries) for a fleeting four hours. And, as for whether the grub felt like the real deal, blogger Burger Addict effused, "The real test to see if the quality had transfered [sic] across the pond...Booya it had. It was as I remembered it State-side, incredibly flavoursome and juicy with the kick of mustard due to the animal style cooking." Our interests piqued, we contacted In-N-Out for more info about the pop-up and learned that the company -- which famously hasn't expanded much beyond the West Coast -- has no plans to make Cali-style gluttony (including the distinctly L.A. concoction of carb-free iceberg lettuce wrapped double cheeseburgers with animal sauce) a reality for our friends across the pond. In a response to our questions, the company's VP said the following:
We have done events like this before in other countries and they are just one part of our efforts to promote and expand our brand as well as determine the best way to continue reaching out to customers around the world. These events also help to protect the In-N-Out Burger brand in important markets like London. We do not have any immediate plans to open permanent restaurants there but these special events will help us make future decisions.Apparently the chain has opened pop-ups in places like Singapore though no word on what their next destination will be. A strip-mall in Kyrgyzstan, perhaps?
Photos courtesy of Burger Addict