Every time I drive past an In-N-Out burger in Austin, I think of my grandfather.
When the In-N-Out chain arrived here in 2013, Austinites were offended. Locals thought the wave of transplants from Californians had gone too far.
Turns out that the burger chain belonged to the latest wave of entrepreneurs arriving from the West Coast.
Burger entrepreneurs were in their sublime moment during the 1930s and 1940s in Southern California. Imagine Los Angeles as the Silicon Valley of burgers in a bun.
LA was the center of hamburger innovation and creativity, the site of origin stories not only of In-N-Out burgers and McDonald’s but of Bob’s Big Boy restaurants. Big Boy restaurants are part of my story, beginning with a warm glazed doughnut.
Sharing more about my personal connection to the Big Boys, plus their fascinating history and unique business expansion on my latest Substack: robynmetcalfe.substack.com/subscribe