On Sun, 13 Jan 2008, Golden California Girls wrote:

Al Eisner wrote:
On Sat, 12 Jan 2008, Golden California Girls wrote:

Oh, and I fully understand not ever wanting to eat a hamburger at BK,
Wendy's or McDonands if there is an In-N-Out anywhere within 100 miles.

You must own stock!

But in any case, In-N-Out doesn't satisfy the original criteria, since
it's not a fast food place. Typical time delay is similar to that of
good non-chain burger places (unless one goes at very-off hours).

So (for you) fast food is only possible if it is cook before order?

I would emphasize some combination of that with speed ("fast") -- that is,
that the restaurant "generally" be fast, which is usually acieved by
pre-cooking the food (except perhaps for a last step, like crisping up
fries). Still, the various responses suggest it isn't so clear-cut a
definition. I wouldn't agree with the issue of paying before eating --
e.g., Sizzler, which those addressing felt was NOT a fast-food place,
takes payment on ordering. Delivery of the food to your table may
also be a good test (i.e., most places that do that are probably not
fast food places).

However, in my initial comment I was certainly emphasizing the "fast".
In'n'Out is rarely fast, even if the line to order is short. If I order
a burger at a place I think we'd all agree is non-fast-food, such as
The Counter or Kirk's on the mid-peninsula **, it doesn't take any signifi-
cantly longer to arrive than it does at IN'n'Out, although perhaps you
would distinguish those places by their table-service (or at least
table-delivery).

** I see this thread is cross-posted, so I should note that these are
places in the San Francisco area.
--

Al Eisner
San Mateo Co., CA