Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

Hey now! Don't be dissing my What-A-Burger! Thems fightin' words! LOL I stopped at one on US59 somewhere in podunk TX. Little bitty fuel stop. No parking. Got a milkshake instead of the drink. Did not know it was going to be a 32 oz. shake! Took me 4 days to drink it. Thank goodness for the truck fridge! Took me 2 meals to eat the whole burger and fries.

I suppose I'll eventually get back out that way to try In & Out. I did have a trip to TX not too long ago, but just wasn't hungry when I was around a What-A-Burger. I did; however, shop at a Brookshire Brothers grocery store. THAT was the bomb! Best selection of Blue Bell ice cream I've seen in a long time. Of course, our freezers won't hold much and ice in a cooler doesn't keep it frozen enough, so alas, only able to grab a couple pints. Fresh produce was on point. Good prices too.

 

When I first got in the truck, one of my friends who originally hails from California insisted that I just had to try an In-and-Out burger when I was out there, because they were going to change my life.

Now, when I first moved to Virginia, I lived a block away from the original Five Guys place. Corner of Glebe Rd. and Columbia Pike in Arlington. This was the first Five Guys, and at the time there was only one other Five Guys restaurant anywhere, over in Alexandria on the way to Fort Belvoir. So I'm a big Five Guys fan. I like that they have all the different options. I always get a burger with mushroom, bacon, and fried onionswhen I go.

But my buddy, he said that In-and-Out was SOOOO much better than Five Guys, and I'd be doing myself a favor if I tried it out. Well, there just happens to be one in that cluster of truck stops and restaurants off of I-15 in Barstow. So one day I hoofed it about half a mile from the PFJ to give it a shot.

And it turns out that they're pretty no-frills. They don't have toppings like Five Guys. They have the standard lettuce, tomato, and pickle. They have cheese if you like cheeseburgers, but I don't think they even have bacon. So if you order an In-and-Out burger, you're just getting a burger.

It's a pretty good burger, I'll give it that. The biggest advantage it has over Five Guys is that it's cheaper. Like, if you went into Five Guys and ordered a burger that was identical to the burger you'd get at In-and-Out, they'd both be about the same in terms of quality and taste. But the In-and-Out burger is about a dollar cheaper, because that's all they make. They don't have to fold the cost of mushrooms or jalapenos or fried onions or BBQ sauce into the price of their burgers like Five Guys.

So, to sum up: If all you like on your burger is lettuce, tomato, pickles, maybe some mayo and mustard, In-and-Out is a pretty good burger. Not life-changing, but still pretty good. On the other hand, if you like all the weird toppings like A-1 and mushrooms and grilled onions, Five Guys is the way to go.

 

I’ve only had Five Guys once. All I took away from the experience was an empty wallet. They are EXPENSIVE!!!!!!

 

I like the local What A Burger. It's not part of the chain. There are only two that I know about. One here in Newport News and one in Richmond. I like the Red Robin burgers.

In and Out isn't life changing but it is good. Five Guys is good too. The difference is Five Guys are all over place where as In and Out is a rare treat that I may never get again.

 

Taco flavored Doritos is another rare treat.

 

Ohh, Red Robin is good! Forgot about them. Been to the non-related whataburger in Newport News a time or 4. My mother said it was quite "the spot" back in the 60s. Guess they do something right since they've been open for that long.

Five Guys-went in one while on a World Market delivery somewhere in FL. There was one right across from the dock. Was not impressed and way too expensive.

 

Well, it is trucking related. We all gotta eat!

 

That just reads so fn wrong......lmao

 

Thanks. I screwed that up so bad that there’s no trying to explain it.