Shake Shack

Cheeseburger with cherry peppers, and fries.

In N Out is a regional burger chain with a cult following, and it is headquartered in our city (and originally is from not too far away). Anyone who has seen enough of my blips knows I am a fan.

Shake Shack is also a regional burger chain with a cult following, though it's from New York City (the other side of the country from us). While in New York, it behooves me to give it a try. (Partisans from each are adamant that their region's is better.)

I am not a native Californian, so I hope I have some objectivity. First, fries: In N Out definitely wins. But In N Out fries are not terribly good, so this is a weak victory. Burgers: Shake Shack wins - their beef is simply fantastic, and they achieve more flavor by making smash burgers (maillard=delicious). Price: In N Out by a huge margin. In the end, Shack Shack wins the head-to-head. Still, there will be more In N Out in my blip future when I'm back at home.