In-N-Out Burger is hosting a one-day pop-up in central Auckland at Wynyard Pavilion.
The Californian chain announced the event on their Instagram. Video / Dean Purcell
American fast-food chain In-N-Out Burger is holding a one-day pop-up in central Auckland today.
The event at Wynyard Pavilion features its Double-Double, Animal-Style, and Protein Style Burgers.
In-N-Out, established in 1948, holds irregular pop-ups in Aotearoa but isn’t franchised outside the US.
American fast-food chain In-N-Out Burger is popping up in central Auckland for one day only.
The Californian burger chain posted to its Instagram confirming it would be holding a pop-up at Wynyard Pavilion, 17 Jellicoe St, in Wynyard Quarter, from 9am until 3pm today.
An image posted to Redditlast night promoting the event signalled the menu at the pop-up would be serving its “famous Double-Double burgers, Animal-Style Burgers and Protein Style Burgers”.
In-N-Out staff said the first customers began lining up at 7am.
Aucklanders queue for American fast-food chain In-N-Out Burger's pop-up in Wynyard Quarter. Photo / Dean Purcell.
A city resident arrived at the pop-up at 9.15am and told the Herald there were about 50 people in the queue.
Attendees are given a wristband when they arrive at the event.
Burger fan Andrew Tanner queued for about an hour to get his first taste of the American chain.
He told the Herald “I always say to people there’s only two reasons I want to go to America, I want to visit the National Parks and I want to try In-N-Out Burger.”
Tanner ordered an Animal Style burger which includes caramelised onions, extra pickles, and the patties that are grilled in mustard.
Asked if the experience lived up to the hype, Tanner said it was “pretty good” but that he still rates the burgers at Fat Pukus as the best in Auckland.
“This is the first time I’ve been in New Zealand during the pop-up. I’m happy that it was happening when I’m here.“
In-N-Out Burger is charging $10 for a cheeseburger during its one-day pop-up. Photo / Dean Purcell
Tanner was at the pop-up with Hugo Adenot. He said he didn’t know too much about American diners because he was from France but thought In-N-Out’s burger tasted “fresh” and was “better than McDonald’s”.
“Taste wise, it’s good. It’s a bit fatty, though - I wouldn’t eat that every day”. Adenot paid $14 for his burger and thought that was fair given it had “two big patties”.
In-N-Out manager of special foreign events, Luis Hernandez, was on site in Auckland running the event and says his job is to travel the world and do “many, many pop-ups”.
In-N-Out Burger expect to serve about 500 customers at their one-day pop-up event. New Zealand Herald photograph by Dean Purcell
This was his third time in Auckland and says months of organisation goes into each one-day pop-up.
“A lot of planning, logistics, but every customer’s getting an In-N-Out bun, In-N-Out cheese, In-N-Out spread and In-N-Out pickles. So a very authentic burger.”
In-N-Out used New Zealand beef in the burgers, and Hernandez said, though he could taste the difference, “it tastes very similar” to the patties served in the Californian chain.
Luis Hernandez, In-N-Out Burger's manager of special foreign events, said the pop-ups are put on as part of the chain's global marketing tour. Photo / Dean Purcell
Hernandez said In-N-Out puts the pop-ups on in New Zealand “as part of our global marketing tour. Just [to] put some smiles on a lot of customers’ faces”.
Asked whether the fast-food chain, which has its corporate offices located in Irvine, California, runs these events to maintain international trademarks and prevent other businesses using its name, Hernandez reasserted they were “just part of our global marketing tour”.
Shortly before 11am, the pop-up had served 150-200 customers, and expected another 200-300 through the doors before they shut at 3pm.
Hernandez, who was last in New Zealand in 2023 for the Wellington pop-up, couldn’t confirm when the next would be held, but said it would “hopefully not” be another couple of years. He did, however, confirm the company had “no plans right now” to hold one in the South Island.
An image from Reddit promoting the one-day In-N-Out pop-up in Auckland. Photo / Reddit.
In-N-Out Burger, which was established in California in 1948, is yet to be franchised outside the US.
American fast-food chain In-N-Out Burger is popping up in central Auckland for one day only. Photo / Dean Purcell
In-N-Out’s core menu in America consists of three burger varieties: a hamburger, cheeseburger, and a “Double-Double” which has two hamburger patties and two slices of cheese. French fries and fountain drinks are available, as well as three flavours of milkshakes.
The hamburgers are served with lettuce, tomato, optional onions and a sauce that is a variant of Thousand Island dressing.
There are, however, additional named items not on the menu, but available at every In-N-Out. These make up the chain’s “secret menu”, though the menu is viewable on the company’s website.
The burger chain was founded by Harry and Esther Snyder.
The couple are the grandparents of notoriously private billionaire chief executive Lynsi Snyder. Snyder gradually received stakes in the business as part of a complicated trust plan made by her grandparents, and in 2017 she received the last slice of her fortune, on her 35th birthday.
