What Is A Wish Burger And Why Is It On In-N-Out's Secret Menu?

At first sight, In-N-Out seems just to offer essential fast food items. The California-based chain, which opened in 1948, serves hamburgers, cheeseburgers, french fries, and milkshakes. But there's also a secret menu that sells variations of these classics, including tons of different burger styles. Almost any In-N-Out veteran is familiar with the animal style burger, which allows you to really beef up your meal (pun intended). According to Serious Eats, this particular iteration is made of mustard grilled patties, grilled onions, extra Thousand Island spread, and extra pickles. You can also indulge in animal style fries, which are covered in cheese, spread, and grilled onions.

So, what if you're a vegetarian? In that case, In-N-Out may not be your first choice when seeking a meatless burger. But don't be too discouraged if you're set on experiencing the goodness of the iconic chain. As it turns out, this spot has just the healthy offering to satisfy your taste buds. Cue the wish burger.

While In-N-Out is primarily known for their meaty offerings, there's still something for vegetarians to order. As noted by Serious Eats, In-N-Out features a wish burger on the secret menu. This veggie creation is made of a toasted bun loaded with lettuce and tomatoes. If you want to top it off with more ingredients, add onions, pickles, cheese, and spread.

So, why is this item on In-N-Out's secret menu? For starters, the well-known burger chain isn't trying to hide anything, as they actually reveal some secret items on their website. They even include a vegetarian option, which is called "grilled cheese." It's basically the wish burger, but with cheese added. Presumably, they're catering to the food preferences of various customers without promoting it front and center.

If you don't live near an In-N-Out, but you're eager to try the wish burger, don't fret! You can easily recreate this vegetarian meal at home. Just toast a bun, add some crisp lettuce and soft tomatoes, and throw in some tasty toppings of your choosing!

While food likes and dislikes are incredibly subjective, one popular food blogger praised the wish burger. In 2021, The Try Guys YouTube account posted a video called "Keith Eats Everything At In-N-Out Secret Menu." His guest, Becky Habersberger, takes a big bite out of a cheesy wish burger, remarking, "It's like a really good sandwich." Keith Habersberger nods in agreement, saying, "I don't miss the burger at all." They also try the wish burger without cheese, but seem to enjoy the former more.

Keith and Becky aren't the only foodies to relish the wish burger. In a 2022 piece for The New York Times, author Melissa Clark documents her vegetarian companion's love for In-N-Out. Quoting her friend, she writes, "'That's my favorite burger place. I get a cheeseburger without the meat.'" Clark goes on to compare various burgerless burgers. She applauds In-N-Out for their cheesiness and freshness.

If you are craving a plant-based burger, you won't find it at In-N-Out. But there are plenty of restaurants that serve a tasty meat alternative! One Los Angeles hot spot is frequently referred to as "The Vegan In-N-Out." Yup, head on over to Monty's to get your vegetarian burger fix. In a video for Foodbeast, host Reach Guinto eats "the double," which consists of two impossible burger patties and vegan cheese. He gushes, "This tastes so legit. You got some of the crispy on the outside of this patty. And it has that savory taste."