Trademark lawyers for Irvine-based In-N-Out are busy folks. The iconic burger chain has spawned ripoffs across the world–and that means war.
But the company is smart and understands that where there's a clone, there's a hungry market. In response to a fake In-N-Out opening in Shanghai, the real In-N-Out is not only taking legal action, but also gauging local interest in the authentic product. Serious Eats reports that California chefs flew to China to serve the famous cheeseburgers and Double-Doubles at a recent pop-up event. Will Asia be getting an In-N-Out before, say, New York City? Nobody knows for sure, though that would be funny.
Here are five ballsy In-N-Out copycats we've seen over the years — a reminder of how nice it is to have the real thing in our back yard!
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1. Chadder's
At this restaurant in American Fork, Utah, there are too many In-N-Out similarities to name. The red-and-white-tiled walls. The menu items: Double-Double (which was later changed to “Stubby Double”), animal-style, protein-style. The food served in cardboard boxes on red trays! In-N-Out sued in 2007 — and won. By 2009, a real In-N-Out opened less than a mile from Chadder's, putting the clone out of business. Booyah.
2. Nicky's In-N-Out
As Edwin reported earlier this year, In-N-Out is suing Maryland-based Grab-N-Go for ripping off everything from its color scheme to menu items (“wild-style burger” — clever) to its name. Serious Eats points out that there's a Five Guys resemblance as well.
5. CaliBurger
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