Foothill Boulevard signage and traffic lights beckon a right turn to La Verne’s In-N-Out on D Street. Long a mecca for Bonita High School students, who come in waves after athletic contests, the drive-thru boasts local roots to the founding In-N-Out family. Harry and Esther Snyder may have started the franchise in 1948 in Baldwin Park, but the family lived in the La Verne area, and the two sons attended Bonita High. / photo by Courtney Droke

by Aaron Braunwalder
photography by Courtney Droke

In-N-Out. The name alone has the power to make a Californian’s mouth salivate. Many know it as the home to the juicy double double, but few know that this family-owned fast-food chain has roots in La Verne. Although the Snyder family started their burger business in Baldwin Park 62 years ago, it was the family’s time spent in La Verne that made the In-N-Out culture what it is today.

The idea of a drive-thru hamburger stand, where customers could order through a two-way speaker box, was unique. But in 1948, Harry Snyder’s idea caught on, and California’s first drive-thru hamburger stand was born. Little did they know then the impact it would have on the future of fast food.

The La Verne/In-N-Out connection began when a young Harry Snyder met Esther Johnson at a time when California was on the brink of change. Harry was a straight-forward man who was wide awake about business opportunities and had a drive to succeed. He was also a family man, and soon he and Esther became parents to Rich and Guy Snyder, raising the family in La Verne. “Baldwin Park was just a location,” Kathy Touche, ex-wife of Guy says. “The boys, the family’s hearts, the business was here.”

Guy and younger brother Rich were both students at Bonita High School in the late 60’s. Guy (’69) was known for his antics outside of school. Whether he was racing his car through orange groves in La Verne or playing pranks at Bonita, Guy was always known for his liveliness and humor. Later, Guy would lead In-N-Out to form a racing team. Guy first drove the car, “Flying Dutchman,” which led to an In-N-Out NHRA professional racing team. Rich (’70), on the other hand, was known more for his involvement in school and for being studious.

Though different in many ways, both boys left a lasting impression to Bonita’s atmosphere. “It seemed like everyone knew those boys,” Kathy shares. The boys always had friends around them. Guy would pile friends into his car and hang out at In-N-Out after school or even bring the In-N-Out Truck to the parking lot of Bonita High School to feed students after a school dance. As the years passed, the bond between the boys and the La Verne community would never be broken. Some of the early expansion of their business was in the Pomona Valley.

Decades later, Guy was a successful business man high in the ranks at In-N-Out headquarters in the city of Irvine but never forgot his roots, as he always found himself coming back to La Verne. In 1995 after decades of separation, Guy and old high school friend Kathy, current owner of Norm’s Hangar at Brackett Airport in La Verne, reconnected. “Guy, most of the time would fly in here [Brackett Airport] from wherever he was coming from to see me. We just really enjoyed each other’s company,” Kathy says. When Guy was at Bonita High School, he once asked Kathy’s father for permission to date her. Kathy says their great age separation (he was completing high school, she was just starting) prompted her father to say “no.”

As it would turn out, Kathy became Guy Snyder’s second wife in September of 1997, eight months after his divorce from his first wife Lynda Lou Perkins became final. Unfortunately, due to the high demands of the business and Guy’s substance abuse, Kathy’s marriage to Guy ended in divorce in 1999. Nonetheless, she holds fond memories of their time together. “Guy would come in and put on my apron and help with the restaurant. He was a simple man. He enjoyed nothing more than to sit out here, eat a patty melt and watch the planes go by.” Kathy pauses briefly. A smile crosses her face. “Guy was my best friend. I miss my sober Guy.”

Tragedy in the family

The family would see some hard future times in the midst of success. During a routine work day in December 1993, Rich Snyder, then president of In-N-Out, was concluding a one-day trip to five locales when his chartered Westwind 1124A jet plunged to the ground and exploded in flames near John Wayne Airport in Irvine. All five passengers on board were killed, including Rich, 41. Federal investigators theorized that the pilots lost control when the plane flew into a “wake turbulence” created from downdrafts from a Boeing 757 landing just ahead of it. After Rich Snyder’s death, brother Guy, known as “Dutch” to his friends, became chairman of the board and CEO in 1993. Guy led the company with his mother Esther for the next six years, opening more than 40 new locations, until his death six years later, in 1999, of an accidental drug overdose.

Despite the tragic losses, In-N-Out continued to grow with Esther Snyder as president until her death in 2006 at age 86. (Harry died in 1976.) The presidency was passed on, with some controversy, to Mark Taylor, former vice president of operations. And while Taylor is the first non-family member to become president, he holds it in trusteeship. The company’s sole heir is 27-year-old Lynsi Martinez, daughter of Guy from his 17-year first marriage to Lynda, and the only grandchild of Harry and Esther Snyder. Martinez, who lives in Glendora, will take ownership of her father’s share of In-N-Out on her 30th birthday.

When Lynsi gains her company status, she will be thoroughly versed in In-N-Out’s philosophy and reputation: the belief that fast food should be made from scratch, and the wants and needs of the customer should be met. Harry also believed that in addition to a good product, if you treated your employees well and your customers even better, the business would be successful.

To this day, the employees enjoy the wisdom in those words. Rick Woodard, a 17-year In-N-Out employee, considers his experience working at In-N-Out as excellent. “I feel lucky and blessed to be part of In-N-Out Burger. I have learned how to be an effective leader, how to manage a team and have made some great friends along the way.”

Because of the Snyder’s never-changing philosophies, In-N-Out has become a West Coast love affair. “Hamburgers, hotrods, and drive-ins; you can’t go wrong in Southern California,” Kathy says from her own restaurant near the National Hotrod Association drag strip.

In-N-Out is cherished even by those who have taken a no fast food vow. “I usually don’t like to eat fast food, but I’m always up for In-N Out. It’s just that good. Their quality just can’t be matched. It’s a one of a kind taste that I can always count on. I love it,” says Sal Diaz, University of La Verne alumnus.

In some ways, In-N-Out never had to grow up; quite the contrary, this large, family-owned business, well-known in Southern California pop culture, proves consistency and quality are key components to a successful business. Today, In-N-Out receives an enthusiastic endorsement from celebrity culture. Before the 2007 Academy Awards, singer Beyoncé confessed to making a stop at In-N-Out. Chef Julia Child, famous for her TV cooking show, sent her assistant to In-N-Out to satisfy her burger craving while she was hospitalized. Rocker Courtney Love insisted on visiting an In-N-Out in 2004 just before entering rehab.

In-N-Out holds a time travel culture: Its simple goodness, schooled in the city of La Verne, remains constant. The colors, the menu, the cheerful employees dressed in white, and the same throw back drive thru greeting: “Welcome to In-N-Out, may I take your order?”will always echo the rich La Verne history of the Snyder’s burger.

Kathy Touche, former wife of In-N-Out past president Guy Snyder, now reigns over her own restaurant, Norm’s Hangar, located in the Brackett Airport terminal. / photo by Courtney Droke

In-N-Out: The Secret Menu

Animal style anyone? A “Secret Menu” reflects the raw individualism that makes In-N-Out unique. Customers can customize burgers, even fries. A burger ordered Animal Style comes doused with fried mustard and pickles, extra special sauce and grilled onions. Animal Style fries are similarly enhanced. The vegetarian option holds no meat or cheese. The low-carbohydrate Protein Burger comes wrapped in a large leaf of fresh lettuce. Last, but certainly not least, the hardy 4-by-4 is for the truly hungry, with four meat patties and four slices of cheese.

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by Dan Sayles
photography by Rhiannon Mim

Thank goodness for local restaurants that serve hamburgers. Real hamburgers, that is, with the pleasing aroma of smoke and meat, and the sizzle of onions being grilled. Burgers at places like these are just simply better tasting, and the atmosphere is usually more relaxed than the average drive-through.

Many local places offer hamburgers for a decent price and can prove much more fulfilling, in terms of quality and service, than your standard chain restaurant. The Habit, a burger grill restaurant that has recently opened on Foothill and Chase, has impressed many with its simple yet broad menu. Choices range from the simple Charburger to the more exotic Teriyaki Burger, with pineapple and teriyaki sauce to titillate the senses. A trio of restaurants on D Street: Angel’s Restaurant, Roberta’s Inn, and T. Phillips, all offer hamburgers in comfortable and relaxed settings. Nestled inside the Brackett Field Airport in La Verne, is Norm’s Hangar, providing terrific cuisine and a rather breathtaking view of the local scenery. An then there’s the place against which all others are often measured: In-N-Out.

For the hamburger connoisseur in the La Verne area, here are a few helpful reviews.

photo by Rhiannon Mim

The Habit

The Habit, located in the newly built shopping plaza at Foothill and Chelsea, is new to La Verne. Customers can dine indoors or out on the patio. The menu selection at the Habit is small, but solid, offering not just hamburgers but salads and sandwiches, which is also a reason to come to this jaunty burger joint for its white albacore tuna filet grilled sandwich. But the Habit has an excellent burger base in its Charburger. Coming with a single or a double patty, the Charburger can be made to your specifications – tomatoes, extra pickles, grilled onions, etc. Instead of an obscenely large amount of lettuce, the Habit uses much more manageable, and possibly fresher, shredded lettuce. The Charburger’s only drawback is that is tastes a bit like In-N-Out burger, which is not necessarily a bad thing if you are a fan of In-N-Out. However, if you’re looking for something different, you may want to try something else. You might consider the Teriyaki Charburger, which provides a much more unique experience with its sweet teriyaki sauce and ring of sliced pineapple.

Score: 4.5/5.0

photo by Rhiannon Mim

Roberta’s Village Inn

Roberta‘s Village Inn, located on D Street in downtown La Verne, has changed little over the years, and in some cases, that can be a good thing, with its relaxed atmosphere and friendly waitresses. In stark contrast to The Habit’s more modern, quick and made-to-order delights, Roberta’s instead has a rather fun way to eat a hamburger: make it yourself. No, you don’t actually don an apron and grab a spatula, but you get the hamburger, meat, fries and the toppings on the side. The burger itself rests on an open-faced bun. This eliminates most of the fuss when ordering toppings. Simply put on the ones you want, seal the deal with the other half of the bun, and chow down. It is nothing life-changing, but it is nice. “We’ve been going here for a long time,” says Barbara Shipcott. “It’s all reasonably priced and delicious as well.”

For those who want a burger already made, this may be a bit cumbersome. However, for those who like to sit back and chat with other people or waitresses while they build their burger, it can be a nice change.

Score: 4.0/5.0

photo by Rhiannon Mim

Angel’s Place

Right across the street from Roberta’s Village Inn is Angel’s Place, a Greek and Mediterranean food restaurant. The cheeseburger it offers can be ordered with or without toppings, and it comes with fries. Although a solid hamburger in its own right, it falls prey to the infamous head of lettuce burger trap that plagues some restaurants. Namely: lettuce, and too much of it. Nothing kills a hamburger quicker than thinking you are eating a salad between two pieces of bread. It is all a minor inconvenience in an environment that produces a burger that anyone can enjoy, in their spacious restaurant, with big-screen televisions and amiable hosts. The price is reasonable as well.

Score: 3.5/5.0

Norm’s Hangar

Tucked away at Brackett Field, Norm’s Hangar offers diners a unique chance to watch planes and helicopters take off and land right in front of them as they eat. Norm’s offers a variety of burgers that are quite delectable – the ortega burger being one of them. Overall, it was good. However, given the size of the burger and relative tastelessness of the ortega chile, it was rather bland for something that has chile in it. It also had way too much lettuce, which consisted mostly of the spine and the base. The burger was fresh and well-cooked, but the toppings were not outstanding. Thankfully for burgers such as that, there are remedies on hand, such as ketchup or Norm’s own Uncle Kenny’s Fries, which seemed to snatch the spotlight from the hamburger. The Hot Burger, slathered with gravy with a side of mashed potatoes, provides a unique experience, and a delicious one at that, with flavorful gravy and creamy mashed potatoes. Despite the flaws in Norm’s burgers, Norm’s provides many alternatives to suit your tastes and desires, not to mention a really breathtaking view of the runways and of the surrounding mountainside.

Score: 3.0/5.0

photo by Rhiannon Mim

T. Phillip’s

T. Phillip’s, in downtown La Verne, offers an alternative to restaurants that offer one large burger that can fall apart. Their burger is on four pairs of buns with four small patties. Easily picked up with two fingers, these burgers come with a large helping of fries and a drink. The mini-burgers can be eaten slowly as you converse with family and friends in the friendly atmosphere – a roomy and cool interior, perfect for get-togethers and gatherings. It is a bit pricey, though, which could put a damper on your plans. But the price is quite worth it if you find yourself wanting a night out in downtown La Verne.

Score: 4.0/5.0

In-N-Out

In-N-Out, the Inland Empire’s fast food gem, certainly lives up to its reputation as an inexpensive, tasty and quick food stop. There is an In-N-Out located on the corner of D Street and Foothill Boulevard, with two drive-thru lanes and a small walk-in for those who want to sit down at the benches outside. In-N-Out has a deceptively simple menu: burgers, shakes, and fries. “In-N-Out has the best burgers at a fast food restaurant,” Timothy Hight says. “And great shakes and fries, too.”

The double-double itself was certainly delicious to eat, not too large either, and seems to have forgone the lettuce leaves for shredded lettuce. The burgers are freshly grilled, and can be arranged with whatever you like. In-N-Out is definitely recommended, thanks to the quality and low cost.

Score: 4.5/5.0

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