Fans queue for In-N-Out burgers hours before opening

SINGAPORE - Fans of popular American burger joint In-N-Out "turned up in droves" at the pop-up store here - even hours before it opened on Wednesday morning, reported The Straits Times (ST).

The pop-up store - which is doing this for the 2nd time - began selling their burgers from 11am today at Timbre@Gillman. The store was to close by 3pm. 

According to the report, fans turned up as early as 7.30am. The Straits Times visited the scene at about 9am and said that about 50 people were in the queue. 

It said that the queue grew to about 100 by about 9.45am. 

Red wristbands, which entitled each customer to buy one burger, were distributed at about 9.30am, said ST. 

Three burger flavours were on offer - Double-double (a burger with two beef patties), Animal-Style (a burger with ingredients such as a mustard cooked beef patty) and Protein-Style (a burger wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun).

A burger costs between $3 and $5. Set meals, which from $5 to $7, include a burger, chips and a drink.

So were the burgers really worth the wait in line?

Student, Ranne Sanedrine, told SPH Razor that the burger he had "tastes really good". "It's amazing. I like the crispiness of the buns, the juiciness of the beef patties and the grilled onions inside.

"It is the same as I remembered it in the States," he added. 

The family-run burger chain is famous for setting up stores only on the West Coast of the United States. The chain is also popular among celebrities. Singer Selena Gomez and former Californian governor and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger have been photographed eating its burgers.

However, fans hoping to see the chain set up shop here may be disappointed. A spokeman told The Straits Times in an e-mail reply that the chain does not have any immediate plans to open permanent restaurants in Singapore but "these special events will help us make future decisions".

maryanns@sph.com.sg