A two-hour wait was a small price to pay for hundreds of Torontonians eager to get their hands on an In-N-Out burger.
The popular U.S. burger chain decided to open a downtown Toronto “pop-up shop” for one day only on Thursday but the opening was so wildly successful, anyone who showed up after 11 a.m. was in for a disappointment.
“I’m thinking that within every five minutes we are probably turning away 20 to 30 people,” Deb Lewis, one of the organizers of the event, told CP24.com Thursday afternoon.
“I think the buzz is a little more than I expected.”
Lewis said the only thing that was done to advertise the pop-up shop, located in the area of Jarvis and Wellesley streets, was one black and white newspaper ad.
“After it went viral on social media, you could tell the excitement,” she said.
For many who showed up bright and early for a wristband, it was word of mouth that drew them to the burger joint.
Linda Yahya, 29, decided to spend her morning in pursuit of an “Animal-Style" burger after hearing good things from a friend.
“I’ve heard the sauce is amazing. Everything about it is just supposed to be really good,” she said.
Sous chef Matt Salvesen, who previously sampled the food at one of the chain’s California locations, said the burgers live up to their reputation.
“I go every April usually after Coachella. I didn’t do it this year so I’ve got a bit of a hankering,” he said.
“Apparently they imported all of the toppings from California which is kind of exciting.”
Most people had a hard time putting their finger on exactly why the burgers are so appealing.
When asked what makes an In-N-Out burger special, one patron replied, “Just like the way it was composed, the way the toppings are compiled. Maybe it is just the uniqueness of the burger itself.”
The disappointment was keenly felt by those who wandered over on their lunch break and discovered there was no hope at coming away with a burger.
“That is so unfair. It is such a tease,” one person remarked as they walked away empty handed.
Lewis said she hopes the chain will consider bringing a location to Toronto sometime in the future.
“It has a cult following,” she said with a laugh.
