Quality you can Taste
This weekend, I went back to my hometown in Arizona and stepped into In-N-Out Burger—my first job, my favorite job, and the unexpected MBA that shaped how I design for tech companies and run my agency today.
I brought my kids along, letting them see where it all started, and I loved every second of being in that store again: I emptied those exact trash cans, mopped that same floor, took thousands of orders, delivered countless burgers, cooked even more, ate even more !!
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“Hi, How are you?”
I must have said this a million times over.
And it’s the start of why this nearly 80-year-old burger chain has exceptionally high employee retention and cult-like customer devotion. The strategies they employ aren’t that different from what creates lasting tech companies—or exceptional design solutions for them.
In-N-Out isn’t just a burger joint that outperforms McDonald’s in per-store sales while staying 100% company-owned.
It’s a masterclass in systems, culture, and execution that tech founders and design leaders should study.
Here’s why, with lessons I’ve carried into my work:
1. You Earned Your Place, and Everyone Knew It
At In-N-Out, becoming a manager meant training at the first store and meat factory—a rite of passage for top performers who’d scrubbed grills and smiled at endless customers. I started in that dining room, working my way from cashier to drive-thru, fries to board, grill, and finally manager—“Hi, how are you?” a million times with a smile. The path was clear, and as store trainer, I gave out binders with worksheets so everyone could level up with effort.
Shift Lesson: Define clear career paths to reward effort over politics.
Design Drive-Thru: Design onboarding flows that guide users step-by-step to mastery.
2. There Was a Cult-Like Unity That Felt Like Magic
Working a shift at In-N-Out was magical. We had our own language—“Line through the door!” or “6 fry down!”—and a shared belief system that made us feel like we were in a different world. It was pure joy, a camaraderie I’ve never forgotten.
Tech Takeaway: Foster a strong culture to keep teams aligned and motivated.
Design Drive-Thru: Create a cohesive brand vibe that makes users feel part of something special.
3. No Job Was Too Good for Anyone
If something needed doing, you did it. Assembling burgers and the fry station was slammed? I’d call out an order number at the counter. Managing the store and the dining room floor was dirty? I’d mop it. Once, a customer pointed out dirty baseboard corners to my manager—he scrubbed them faster and closer than I’d ever seen.
Tech Takeaway: Encourage everyone to pitch in where it counts.
Design Drive-Thru: Build flexible interfaces that adapt to unexpected user needs.
4. We All Depended on Each Other for a Shared Goal
The energy of an In-N-Out team was electric—a cohesive, intentional system. Watch a lunch rush: if the fry guy was snowed, the grill slowed down, and cooks jumped in to help. “Line through the door!” prepped the grill; “6 fry down!” rallied the fry station. If too many orders piled up without fries, the grills slowed intentionally so burgers didn’t sit cold—everyone’s effort mattered. It was fun because we relied on each other for the perfect burger, turning chaotic rushes into fluid flow.
Shift Lesson: Build visibility so teams support each other’s success.
Design Drive-Thru: Design dashboards that show users where they fit in the workflow.
5. Clear Systems Enabled Our Success
Every In-N-Out counter is identical, grill here, fry station there, board in the middle—a timeless setup pumping out top-notch burgers fast. A timeless system delivering the highest-quality burger fast. It’s efficiency perfected—a good system with thoughtful design can be timeless.
Shift Lesson: Take time to design standardize processes that boost efficiency.
Design Drive-Thru: Use consistent design patterns for intuitive, predictable navigation.
6. Smiling Was a Feature (Leave the Rest at the Door)
“Hi, how are you?” wasn’t just a phrase—it was our brand. In-N-Out trained us to smile, make eye contact, and welcome every customer, even on rough days when I’d leave my shit at the door. The customer doesn’t care if your dog died—they got a smile, and it made the food taste better .
Shift Lesson: Make It Human, Always. Customers love thoughtful emotion.
Design Drive-Thru: Add delightful micro-interactions to brighten the user experience.
7. Care Deeply, Then Care More
Details were everything. I’m not just talking quality—care was watching every process like a newborn’s breath. From hiring to shift flow, it was obsessive—and it showed.
Shift Lesson: Obsess over details to elevate the whole experience.
Design Drive-Thru: Polish every pixel, word, and flow to show users they’re valued.
8. The Secret Menu Created Insiders
Animal Style, 3x3—none of it was on the board. It spread by word of mouth, making customers feel special, part of a club. That insider vibe built a loyalty that went beyond the menu.
Shift Lesson: Add exclusive touches to deepen user connection.
Design Drive-Thru: Hide Easter eggs or power features for loyal users to discover.
9. The Customer Is Always Right
Customers can suck, but at In-N-Out, you better believe they’re always right. I remember a customer brought a burger back with one bite left, saying it wasn’t cooked enough—clearly a freebie grab. We recooked it anyway because “the customer is always right.” That rule cut decision fatigue, kept things smooth, and built the loyalty In-N-Out’s known for.
Shift Lesson: Prioritize customer happiness to build lasting loyalty.
Design Drive-Thru: Simplify support flows to resolve issues fast and friction-free.
10. Less Is More
In-N-Out’s menu never changed—burgers, fries, shakes, that’s it. No seasonal gimmicks, just the classics done right. We cranked out thousands of the same perfect orders every shift, the same burgers that are loved today. That simplicity kept us sharp and customers hooked. In-N-Out understands the value they bring, and what their customers go to them for, it’s not the next gimmick or a mic-rib tossed in a taco shell covered with cheese. It’s just the same burger from 80 years ago.
Shift Lesson: Know your value and lean into it… strong.
Design Drive-Thru: Strip away unused features frequently, stay focused on core flows.
From flipping burgers to founding BABCO, the fundamentals stuck: clear systems, deep care, and teams that hum together generate timeless success—lessons I owe to Jon Baca, who shaped me as an employee, leader, and now founder.
Standing in that store this weekend with my kids, I felt it all rush back—the joy, the hustle, the heart. Whether it’s a perfect burger or a killer SaaS app, it’s about people thriving in systems that lift them up and enable the success of their task.
At BABCO, we bring this same clarity and obsession to designing for tech founders—crafting intuitive UX, scalable design systems, and delightful touchpoints that turn users into fans. Build something iconic with us.
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