A Popular In-N-Out Menu Hack Is No More

Are we witnessing a golden age of fast food menu hacks come to an end? Last year, Starbucks announced that it was cracking down on extensive order customization in an effort to reduce customer waiting times at its locations. Ornate custom orders aren’t the only kind of menu hacks out there, though; there’s also the matter of menu hacks designed to save money. And unfortunately for burger enthusiasts, In-N-Out appears to have curbed the ability of customers to order a hack that’s become very popular.

At the center of the hack is an entry on the chain’s secret menu: the Flying Dutchman, which consists of two beef patties and two slices of cheese. (There’s also a variation that involves onions.) Late last week, SFGATE food reporter Susana Guerrero wrote that the burger chain had changed its pricing for a single patty and a single slice of cheese. Why? Turns out some customers had figured out that ordering the components for the Flying Dutchman separately was cheaper than ordering it directly.

This reporting cited a memo from In-N-Out’s Chief Operating Officer, Denny Warnick, which turned up on Reddit. “The new price of a meat and cheese patty will be aligned with Flying Dutchman pricing — a meat and cheese patty will be half the price of a Flying Dutchman,” Warnick wrote in the memo. According to the memo, the change went into effect on March 24.

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How much were people saving by using this hack? Guerrero pointed out that, in California, the Flying Dutchman historically sells for around $5.50, while ordering patties and cheese directly would only cost $3.40. But if you’re a burger enthusiast disappointed by this change, at least you can take comfort in this: that’s far from the only secret menu option out there.