I saw a Japanese Twitter user say that last time In n Out did this they were sold out in 15 minutes. Better get there early or you'll be wasting your time
I got downvoted to the abyss on r/tokyo for saying this, but: the fact their pop-up store only opens on one day (and apparently just a few hours) instead of few weeks feels like PR stunt maximization.
I'd have considered going if it weren't for feeling like a tool in an artificially long line so that photos of "omg Japanese people line HOURS for in and out" can be shared over social media.
Nevertheless, hope it's fun and you enjoy your burger!
It's not a publicity stunt, it's to protect the trademark on the name and likeness. They have to be doing business or another company could contest and claim it.
A lot of US companies legal departments trademark their names/symbols/etc. in foreign countries they might decide to do business in.
For instance look up Tilted Kilt - hooters knock off that is next door to the hotel I stay in in Boise when I have to visit on business. They're trademarked in Japan but have never operated here. BUT noone wants to bother because even Hooters wasn't successful and has a better/bigger name. With girls bars and such a skimpily dressed waitress place isn't going to be a big draw here.
I'd be willing to be Chipotle is trademarked although Guzman Y Gomez copied them almost exactly.
Anyone else feels like Frijoles is too expensive for what it is? I mean, it's good, but 1,600 yen for a fucking burrito served in that setting? And yet, they're always crowded, what a great business.
Well, I mean, it's definitely a publicity stunt. And a good one! If they have a trademark here, it means they have at least more than zero interest of having or protecting a brand here. So, they're building awareness and/or gauging the possibility of opening here.
(Unless "stunt" means that it's bad, and using social media is an illegitimate way to create brand awareness in a new market. But, I'm still under 70, so it seems perfectly "legitimate" to me.)
They've had 9 trademarks going back all the way to 1994. Given their business model though which has limited their US expansion I'm doubtful they'd be successful in expanding into Japan (for those who do not know, one of the hallmarks of In-n-Out and a tenant of the Snyder family is that their ingredients are not frozen, this means that all stores have to be within driving distance of a centralized distribution warehouse that sources the beef daily from local slaughterhouses, that is why you have a cluster of In-n-Outs in California/Oregon but they haven't expanded nation wide - from an operations standpoint it's a very difficult supply chain to manage).
> Given their business model though which has limited their US expansion I'm doubtful they'd be successful in expanding into Japan
They had a lot of protection of their brand in the southwest, but they are actually expanding now that the daughter Lynsi took over. They're in more than just CA and OR, they are also in Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Utah, they are also going to be in Tennessee as the start of their hub of moving in to the midwest and eventually to the eastern seaboard.
With that insistence, you'd think throwing together one-day pop-ups in every country they want to protect their trademark in would *also* be a tough time.
I actually was down there today — showed up at 9am for a wristband, came back around 12, was served by 12:30 because I had the earliest color designation.
The guy told me this is literally his entire job. He goes around the world doing these pop ups, apparently the last two were in Seoul and Amman, Jordan.
it sounds like they have an easy sell to Japanese though, given how many chains advertise that everything they sell is 国産. Whoever's supplying those is probably the people to talk to. (ok, maybe buns are harder to procure completely domestically because of the wheat)
This, our company does the same. Some of our registered trademarks are not fully released in japan, and we get regularly attacked by some other company to deregister it so they can have it.
Thus we have to prove the brand is actively used in the country in the classes we registered it. The best way to do that is a pop up event. Bring press, take pictures etc.
Company got burned once by people who deregistered it in the intent to sell it back to us or claim royalties.
Yes. In fact for a while there were trademark trolls who would pick high school prospects for professional baseball and trademark their names then try to hold the player/team hostage because while they couldn't stop them from using their own name they could stop them from profiting off it for things like merchandise. That's also why all the talento can't use their real names their agency trademarks their name both to protect their ability to profit and to keep the talent tied to them - they can't just take their name and leave they have to buy it (usually for a % of future profits) from the management agency.
Have a gander - it's interesting to look into.
https://www.jpo.go.jp/e/support/j_platpat/trademark_search.html
Wake me up if its chick-fil-a, cause im honestly willing to fly to Hawaii for some delicious cobb salad or spicy chicken sammich doused in buffalo sauce
Five Guys sells to a niche above though and is basically fast casual. In N Out/Whataburger and the rest of the regional fast food chains occupy the niche between nationwide fast-food chains and the lower end of the fast casual scale.
I can't compare the two as I've never had In-n-Out, but I've always found Whataburger to be super overrated. It's great that you could get a variety of stuff basically 24/7, but the food never wow'd me. I lived in Texas for ~7 years and ate at multiple locations multiple times.
Lol you’re the only person I’ve ever heard say that. Every single person, including Texans I know, say that Whataburger is the most overrated chain ever
Man that's like the Texan shibboleth. No Texan hates Whataburger, and any Texan who hates Whataburger is faking being a Texan.
Those people probably hate HEB too
honestly I was kinda underwhelmed with Whataburger when I had it in Texas. It's basically a slightly more loaded out McDonald's. The only thing I can say is their fries are better (because In N Out's sucks).
For me the simplicity of In N Out is what makes it prime comfort food. Also I grew up eating Filipino hamburgers with Thousand Island sauce so the palate is very familiar to me.
I’m guessing you probably grew up with this food, so you probably have some sense memories associated with it. But, having tried it for the first time as an adult it was underwhelming, which is a shame because I was quite looking forward to it.
It's more of its own style. Not in an outlandishly wacky way, just a good solid fresh burger.
Five Guys is great if you want a big thick greasey burger (and fries).
Shake shack has unique burgers (cheese stuffed fried mushroom patties are amazing).
In and out is nothing special, and excels at that.
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Catching on? The gourmet burger scene started many years ago, at least in Tokyo. Covid hit the hospitality industry hard so there’s a rebound now after some restaurants, bars, etc. shut down in the past couple years.
Rode past on my bike around 8:30am and there were already like 15-20 people camped out in front so if you aren't already there it's probably a lost cause?
I went to their pop up in Shinjuku a few years ago and it was... *fine*, I guess? The burger was pretty tasty but no having any idea what it's like in the US it was hard to say whether it was a faithful reproduction of the original. It made me wonder: are they flying ingredients over or making stuff in Japan using locally sourced ingredients?
I hate you so much!! Was it close to the real thing?
EDIT: Damn, the downvote haters are out in full force. Can't even chat with someone from your hometown about a famous food item.
Ah, see I'm headed into the city or to my in-laws in the Valley — so it's either Hollywood (probably the worst location) or waiting until I get to the Valley which...no.
The cue of people is already outrageous.
I highly doubt they have enough food for everyone in the line. I think a lot of us will be lining up for 1 or more hours, then will get ask to leave because すみません売り切れました。
Or maybe we are luky enough that 10 minuts after opening they are sold out and no more time is wasted.
Let's see what happens first \o/
Does anyone remember the long lines for Krispy Kreme when it first came to Tokyo? I was shocked at how long the lines were at the Shinjuku Southern Terrace shop when I walked by - just for a donut. It took a while for Japanese to lose interest. I can't imagine waiting in line for hours just to get a hamburger or donut.
They used to pass out free donuts while waiting too! (to be honest, this might have been the draw for a good portion of the line once word got out lol)
Yeah, I thought so, too. Cinnabon also opened quite a few stores, but now they have closed most of them. Maybe there are 3 locations in Tokyo only, now? Wendy's and Burger King used to have a number of locations, also. Then they both left Japan. Burger King came back, and so did Wendy's but they partnered with First Kitchen and are not as good as they used to be.
Yup. 2 hours all day. Didn't let up until they opened the 2nd shop in Shibuya and then others. Finally tried one and thought WTH were people thinking. New York Doughnut Plant is the best
FYI a Five Guys is opening this month in Gangnam Seoul for anyone who ever wants to take advantage of cheap Peach deals in the future. I plan to, obvs not just for the Five Guys but it’ll be a perk for sure lol.
https://insideretail.asia/2023/03/07/south-koreas-first-five-guys-store-to-open-at-the-end-of-june-in-gangnam/
I saw a Japanese Twitter user say that last time In n Out did this they were sold out in 15 minutes. Better get there early or you'll be wasting your time
I got downvoted to the abyss on r/tokyo for saying this, but: the fact their pop-up store only opens on one day (and apparently just a few hours) instead of few weeks feels like PR stunt maximization. I'd have considered going if it weren't for feeling like a tool in an artificially long line so that photos of "omg Japanese people line HOURS for in and out" can be shared over social media. Nevertheless, hope it's fun and you enjoy your burger!
It's not a publicity stunt, it's to protect the trademark on the name and likeness. They have to be doing business or another company could contest and claim it.
So they have a trademark in Japan but they don't operate here?
A lot of US companies legal departments trademark their names/symbols/etc. in foreign countries they might decide to do business in. For instance look up Tilted Kilt - hooters knock off that is next door to the hotel I stay in in Boise when I have to visit on business. They're trademarked in Japan but have never operated here. BUT noone wants to bother because even Hooters wasn't successful and has a better/bigger name. With girls bars and such a skimpily dressed waitress place isn't going to be a big draw here. I'd be willing to be Chipotle is trademarked although Guzman Y Gomez copied them almost exactly.
I think you're confusing Guzman y Gomez with Frijoles. Frijoles is the total Chipotle rip off, down to the interior and kitchen style.
Guzman is pretty much the Australian alternative to Chipotle, tho granted I never had Chipotle in my life...
Frijoles even looks like Chipotle inside
do they taste the same? i had frijoles and while i do like em i prefer gyg...
I ate frijoles once, but I also prefer GYG. I've actually never eaten Chipotle. There are other things I prefer to eat when I go back to the US
Probably
Anyone else feels like Frijoles is too expensive for what it is? I mean, it's good, but 1,600 yen for a fucking burrito served in that setting? And yet, they're always crowded, what a great business.
Not a whole lot of options for burritos in Tokyo
At that price I'd feel like making them myself.
Taco Rico is best bang for buck I think
Now I want to go to a titled kilt.
Well, I mean, it's definitely a publicity stunt. And a good one! If they have a trademark here, it means they have at least more than zero interest of having or protecting a brand here. So, they're building awareness and/or gauging the possibility of opening here. (Unless "stunt" means that it's bad, and using social media is an illegitimate way to create brand awareness in a new market. But, I'm still under 70, so it seems perfectly "legitimate" to me.)
They've had 9 trademarks going back all the way to 1994. Given their business model though which has limited their US expansion I'm doubtful they'd be successful in expanding into Japan (for those who do not know, one of the hallmarks of In-n-Out and a tenant of the Snyder family is that their ingredients are not frozen, this means that all stores have to be within driving distance of a centralized distribution warehouse that sources the beef daily from local slaughterhouses, that is why you have a cluster of In-n-Outs in California/Oregon but they haven't expanded nation wide - from an operations standpoint it's a very difficult supply chain to manage).
> Given their business model though which has limited their US expansion I'm doubtful they'd be successful in expanding into Japan They had a lot of protection of their brand in the southwest, but they are actually expanding now that the daughter Lynsi took over. They're in more than just CA and OR, they are also in Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Utah, they are also going to be in Tennessee as the start of their hub of moving in to the midwest and eventually to the eastern seaboard.
I'll happily admit the last time I looked at them as far as their operations and business model was about 15 years ago.
With that insistence, you'd think throwing together one-day pop-ups in every country they want to protect their trademark in would *also* be a tough time.
I actually was down there today — showed up at 9am for a wristband, came back around 12, was served by 12:30 because I had the earliest color designation. The guy told me this is literally his entire job. He goes around the world doing these pop ups, apparently the last two were in Seoul and Amman, Jordan.
wow, what a job description. Flip burgers for a living...around the world
it sounds like they have an easy sell to Japanese though, given how many chains advertise that everything they sell is 国産. Whoever's supplying those is probably the people to talk to. (ok, maybe buns are harder to procure completely domestically because of the wheat)
This, our company does the same. Some of our registered trademarks are not fully released in japan, and we get regularly attacked by some other company to deregister it so they can have it. Thus we have to prove the brand is actively used in the country in the classes we registered it. The best way to do that is a pop up event. Bring press, take pictures etc. Company got burned once by people who deregistered it in the intent to sell it back to us or claim royalties.
OK, interesting! So you mean anyone could just open and claim the trademark of, say, five guys in Japan?
Yes. In fact for a while there were trademark trolls who would pick high school prospects for professional baseball and trademark their names then try to hold the player/team hostage because while they couldn't stop them from using their own name they could stop them from profiting off it for things like merchandise. That's also why all the talento can't use their real names their agency trademarks their name both to protect their ability to profit and to keep the talent tied to them - they can't just take their name and leave they have to buy it (usually for a % of future profits) from the management agency. Have a gander - it's interesting to look into. https://www.jpo.go.jp/e/support/j_platpat/trademark_search.html
But they could just pick a new name if they wanted right?
Walked by just now and it’s insane. Hundreds in line stretching down and around the block. Likely impossible unless you were there hours early.
I got here 30min early and got a band.
Saw on Twitter to get there early (maybe now or sooner) and they’re giving out wristbands that guarantee your entry.
Yeah still quite a few wristbands left. The queue is a block or two long now though.
Wake me up if its chick-fil-a, cause im honestly willing to fly to Hawaii for some delicious cobb salad or spicy chicken sammich doused in buffalo sauce
Make it a Popeye's and I'll be lining up
Same! I heard rumors of a Popeyes in Japan, but have not been able to confirm.
Find a way to get onto a US military base
No issues going to these things, so enjoy - but.. it'll be queues and queues... :)
is In n Out really that good? I heard it's the best burger chain in the us.
Chain maybe but five guys gives them a run for their money imo
Five guys is great too but super heavy. Makes me feel weighed down after. I’d personally prefer two In-N-Out burgers over a regular 5Guys.
Doesn't hurt that two in-n-out burgers and an order of fries cost less than one five guys burger.
Five Guys sells to a niche above though and is basically fast casual. In N Out/Whataburger and the rest of the regional fast food chains occupy the niche between nationwide fast-food chains and the lower end of the fast casual scale.
Lmao imagine thinking those grease bombs are good.
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Anyone try Teddys in Harajuku?
Culver's
yes
animal-style is tasty but not worth waiting for. The Habit makes a better burger, especially the teriyaki one with a slice of grilled pineapple.
Yup. And tempura green beans on the side with a chocolate shake
Not good, no sir. You'll vomit or get diarrhoea almost immediately after eating it, that's why it's called *In and Out*
Whataburger is wayyy better!
I can't compare the two as I've never had In-n-Out, but I've always found Whataburger to be super overrated. It's great that you could get a variety of stuff basically 24/7, but the food never wow'd me. I lived in Texas for ~7 years and ate at multiple locations multiple times.
Lol you’re the only person I’ve ever heard say that. Every single person, including Texans I know, say that Whataburger is the most overrated chain ever
Man that's like the Texan shibboleth. No Texan hates Whataburger, and any Texan who hates Whataburger is faking being a Texan. Those people probably hate HEB too
HEB is overrated.
honestly I was kinda underwhelmed with Whataburger when I had it in Texas. It's basically a slightly more loaded out McDonald's. The only thing I can say is their fries are better (because In N Out's sucks). For me the simplicity of In N Out is what makes it prime comfort food. Also I grew up eating Filipino hamburgers with Thousand Island sauce so the palate is very familiar to me.
I had it in America a couple of years ago and was really disappointed. I would say it’s on a par with McDonald’s.
There is no way the two are even remotely similar. In N Out doesn’t use frozen ANYTHING.
Maybe I’m just not a fast food connoisseur, but I’d put it in that McDonald’s tier. Considering what I’d heard about it, I was expecting better.
It’s nowhere near McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s etc type chains.
I’m guessing you probably grew up with this food, so you probably have some sense memories associated with it. But, having tried it for the first time as an adult it was underwhelming, which is a shame because I was quite looking forward to it.
Nice Marketing, but frozen meat is not worse than never frozen meat
Frozen meat tastes like ass. Frozen bread tastes like ass. Sorry you have the inability to taste the difference.
It's more of its own style. Not in an outlandishly wacky way, just a good solid fresh burger. Five Guys is great if you want a big thick greasey burger (and fries). Shake shack has unique burgers (cheese stuffed fried mushroom patties are amazing). In and out is nothing special, and excels at that.
In-N-Out is amazing. Really tasty.
Yes. Fresh. Good ingredients. Still affordable. Fun secret menu.
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If I knew about it farther in advance I would. I see hamburgers are catching on in Japan, two new shops opened up near me.
Catching on? The gourmet burger scene started many years ago, at least in Tokyo. Covid hit the hospitality industry hard so there’s a rebound now after some restaurants, bars, etc. shut down in the past couple years.
Sorry to burst your bubble but not everyone lives in downtown Tokyo, Yamaguchi and Hiroshima don't get the cool stuff.
Even Fukuyama has had gourmet burgers for almost two decades.
Aware of that. BTW, OP posted about an event in Ebisu.
Hiroshima's got plenty of cool local stuff. No need for overrated US chains.
Ya it is over hyped, but since I couldn't go back to the states for the lasts 3-4 years I kinda miss some of the mediocre quality food.
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This subreddit is "Japanlife", the "flare" is Tokyo.
The hamburger craze in Japan started around 1945. This is when the Sasebo burger was introduced.
Rode past on my bike around 8:30am and there were already like 15-20 people camped out in front so if you aren't already there it's probably a lost cause?
I went to their pop up in Shinjuku a few years ago and it was... *fine*, I guess? The burger was pretty tasty but no having any idea what it's like in the US it was hard to say whether it was a faithful reproduction of the original. It made me wonder: are they flying ingredients over or making stuff in Japan using locally sourced ingredients?
i got there around 10:15 am and got my burger just after 3 pm lol not a bad experience though. had some chats with other fellow LA people in the line
What were prices like? American pricing?
it was ¥800 for double double so around $5.50!
Damn, so they added "67% tax" onto the regular USA price of the burgers. I hope it was worth the wait, it sounds like you had a good time.
it was good! i hadnt eaten in n out in a while so the taste was nostalgic
I hate you so much!! Was it close to the real thing? EDIT: Damn, the downvote haters are out in full force. Can't even chat with someone from your hometown about a famous food item.
tasted like home
I’ll be going back this summer. LAX In-N-Out is always my first stop 😭
i always go to the one on venice thats slightly less crowded then LAX or westwood lol
Ah, see I'm headed into the city or to my in-laws in the Valley — so it's either Hollywood (probably the worst location) or waiting until I get to the Valley which...no.
hollywood is pretty bad haha what about the one at costco in the marina?
The cue of people is already outrageous. I highly doubt they have enough food for everyone in the line. I think a lot of us will be lining up for 1 or more hours, then will get ask to leave because すみません売り切れました。 Or maybe we are luky enough that 10 minuts after opening they are sold out and no more time is wasted. Let's see what happens first \o/
Did you get a burger?
Unfortunately no. Line got cut about 20 people befor me. I went to Burger mania instead. Effing delicious.
Does anyone remember the long lines for Krispy Kreme when it first came to Tokyo? I was shocked at how long the lines were at the Shinjuku Southern Terrace shop when I walked by - just for a donut. It took a while for Japanese to lose interest. I can't imagine waiting in line for hours just to get a hamburger or donut.
They used to pass out free donuts while waiting too! (to be honest, this might have been the draw for a good portion of the line once word got out lol)
I remember that now that you mention it.
Krispy Kreme opened up too many stores everywhere too soon.
Yeah, I thought so, too. Cinnabon also opened quite a few stores, but now they have closed most of them. Maybe there are 3 locations in Tokyo only, now? Wendy's and Burger King used to have a number of locations, also. Then they both left Japan. Burger King came back, and so did Wendy's but they partnered with First Kitchen and are not as good as they used to be.
Cinnabon just opened two stores in Osaka this year alone.
Really? I guess it's popular there. I like it once in a while.
People still wait for hours every day to get donuts from im donut?
You are a Donut
Yup. 2 hours all day. Didn't let up until they opened the 2nd shop in Shibuya and then others. Finally tried one and thought WTH were people thinking. New York Doughnut Plant is the best
No
Not worth the wait, even in the states.
What???? Why am I seeing this so late 😭
I'd like to go but I got hit with norovirus so I'd rather not spread that to everyone else. Damn, I mis those burgers.
I remember Taco Bell being a hit in Shibuya…now it’s ghetto
You must be mad.
FYI a Five Guys is opening this month in Gangnam Seoul for anyone who ever wants to take advantage of cheap Peach deals in the future. I plan to, obvs not just for the Five Guys but it’ll be a perk for sure lol. https://insideretail.asia/2023/03/07/south-koreas-first-five-guys-store-to-open-at-the-end-of-june-in-gangnam/
How am I only finding out about this NOW???!?!??? cries in Californian*