BusinessWeek Salutes The 20×20 Cheeseburger, Apparently Unaware It No Longer Exists

BusinessWeek‘s Web site has a new gallery hailing the world’s most original burgers, including such unique twists as kangaroo meat patties, a cheeseburger in a can, and a tempura burger “made of shrimp, squid, scallops, onion, carrots, sesame-flavored edamame, and a special salty sauce.” Also included, apparently due to its massive size, is a 20×20 cheeseburger from In-N-Out.

There’s just one problem: In-N-Out policy forbids restaurants from serving anything larger than a 4×4. The rule went into effect soon after unappetizing photos of the infamous 100×100 circulated around the Internet a few years back.

What makes this oversight particularly puzzling is that Stacy Perman, who literally wrote the book on In-N-Out, works at BusinessWeek. That got us thinking: Had the 4×4 rule been dropped? Could it have just been a rumor all along? Was there really no limit to the stack of cheesy meat we could order, aside from our wallet and our imagination?

We called up In-N-Out to get the answer. Sadly, it’s true: A 4×4 is biggest you can get. Perhaps BusinessWeek should add a “some assembly required” note in its gallery, because the only way you’re getting a 20×20 is by ordering five 4x4s and building it yourself.

Update: If you’re curious what it’s like to consume such a colossal cheeseburger, Eric Albertoni ate one in 2005 and lived to blog about it.

Reviewer Puts In-N-Out Stickers On $193k Ferrari

Cool Hunting executive editor Evan Orensten recently got to test-drive the sexy Ferrari California from San Diego to Santa Monica (um, how do we sign up for that gig?), making stops along the way in Borrego Springs, Malibu, and, of course, In-N-Out:

By the time we hit Palm Desert it was nearly 120°, and after our Double Doubles (it’s not a real California until it proudly wears an In-N-Out sticker) we put the top up and cranked the air conditioning until we made our way down Mulholland Drive.

No word on how the cup holders performed, but we can’t think of anything better than cruising around SoCal in a convertible Italian sports car with a Double-Double. Check out the full review over at Cool Hunting.

In-N-Out Tops 2009 Zagat Fast-Food Survey

Confirming what we already knew, voters in the 2009 Zagat Fast-Food Survey ranked In-N-Out tops in the nation for hamburgers.

Despite having just 232 stores spread across only four states, the tiny chain beat out #2 Wendy’s, the world’s third largest hamburger chain, with nearly 7,000 locations. Rounding out the top five were Burger King, McDonald’s and Whataburger. In-N-Out also came in first in the categories of top food and top service when compared against other chains with less than 5,000 locations.

Visit Zagat.com for a complete breakdown of the survey’s results.

(Photo: shishito via flickr)

Double-Double Named California’s Best Burger

The Food Network has just published its list of the best hamburgers in each state, and although many of the entrees are of the gourmet (read: expensive) variety — such as New Jersey’s $16 Stage Left “Best Cheeseburger in the World” — the $3 In-N-Out Double-Double takes the crown for the Golden State.

The Double-Double wasn’t the cheapest burger on the list, though. Mississippi’s White Trolley Cafe serves an 85 cent “Slugburger” deemed worthy of recognition.

Tipping the scales in terms of price and size is West Virginia’s $50, 10 lb. “Doublewide” burger served at Hillbilly Hot Dogs. The meaty monster is served on a 25 inch bun with 35 slices of cheese and takes 45 minutes to cook.

In-N-Out Book Available At Costco

If (like us) you’re unable to find Stacy Perman’s new book about In-N-Out at your local bookstore, blogger Garry Tan reports that his local Costco store is selling it. So look for it next time you’re warehouse shopping for 48 AA batteries, two gallons of ketchup and a year’s supply of beef jerky.

(Photo: Garry Tan)

In-N-Out Book Hits Stores Today … Kind Of

BusinessWeek writer Stacy Perman’s book “In-N-Out Burger: A Behind-the-Counter Look at the Fast-Food Chain That Breaks All the Rules” was released today, but you’ll probably have to order a copy online if you want to read it. Here in Los Angeles, not a single Borders or Barnes & Noble had a copy on their shelves, so we’ve ordered a copy on Amazon.com.

Meanwhile, you can read an excerpt from the book at BusinessWeek.com.