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By: Mario Mancini
For one California native now living in New York, distance is no obstacle when it comes to enjoying the iconic taste of In-N-Out burgers. Spencer Farrar, 55, a retired Marine Corps colonel, regularly travels for work and uses those trips to bring a little piece of home back to the East Coast.
In a Reddit post that has garnered nearly 2,000 reactions and over 200 comments, Farrar detailed his method for flying up to a dozen In-N-Out burgers from California to New York. His process, as reported by the New York Post, is no ordinary food transport—it’s an art form.
Farrar starts by ordering plain burgers—no tomatoes, onions, or lettuce—to prevent sogginess. He requests sauce packets on the side and avoids fries entirely, citing their notoriously short shelf life. The burgers are then packed in Ziploc bags surrounded by pre-frozen ice packs, carefully stowed in an extra carry-on suitcase to avoid spreading the unmistakable smell of In-N-Out throughout the plane.
Once home, Farrar vacuum seals the burgers, leaving just enough air to avoid squishing them, and freezes them. The New York Post reported that while he recommends eating them within three to four months, Farrar confessed to enjoying burgers that have been frozen for over a year.
Founded in 1948 by Harry and Esther Snyder in Baldwin Park, California, In-N-Out is a beloved staple of West Coast culture. It was the first drive-thru burger joint in California to use a two-way speaker system for ordering, revolutionizing fast food service.
Over the decades, the chain has built a reputation for its simple, high-quality menu and exceptional customer service, values that have remained consistent under the leadership of the Snyder family. The New York Post noted that the company’s secretive “not-so-secret” menu, featuring items like the Animal-Style burger, has only deepened its allure.
In-N-Out has expanded to around 400 locations across California, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, and Colorado, with plans to open its first location in Tennessee next year. However, despite its growing footprint, the chain has shown little interest in venturing to the East Coast.
“As long as I’m around, I’m probably saying never,” Lynsi Snyder, the founders’ granddaughter and current owner, told the Today show. According to the New York Post, the chain remains fiercely protective of its brand, ensuring that all locations stay within range of its distribution centers to maintain the freshness and quality that fans adore.
“A lot of the appeal of In-N-Out is the nostalgia for California,” Farrar told the New York Post. “It’s a little piece of California here on the East Coast that I think a lot of people crave.”
The New York Post highlighted a memorable incident in 2019 when a lone In-N-Out burger was found on a Queens street, sparking wild speculation about the chain opening in New York. Unfortunately, it turned out the burger had been dropped by a student returning from California, dashing the hopes of East Coast fans.
Farrar’s efforts have made him a hero among fellow Californians living in New York. Some have even suggested he sell the burgers locally, though Farrar joked that he’d likely face a lawsuit from the company. Instead, he shares his frozen treasures as holiday gifts or tokens of cheer for other transplants, treating the burgers like a “novel currency,” according to the New York Post.
