Pros
-job security (its pretty impossible to get fired once you're full time) -free food -extremely high quality foods and services, ive worked other restaurants and they're absolutely disgusting compared to in n out -no drug tests -can make good friends with some associates -great flexible job for highschool/college kids -good benefits at full time -burgering at in n out is down to a science, there are entire books on how to do everything at in n out, its insane. -the shift flys by when its busy -walk an average of 3-7 miles a shift -every position is like a little mini game, can be fun at times. -calling DUI's on drunk people that have open containers in their car, watching them panic as you tell them you're on the phone with the cops and they're stuck in the drive lane, then watching them get arrested in our parking lot and their car towed, this is BY FAR the best thing about the job. don't come to in n out drunk reeking of booze, we hate you.
Cons
-telling anyone you work at in n out is just embarrassing unless you're a store manager or higher (~15+ years usually), I've gotten "im sorry" more often than not -thankless job -most everyone gets hired on as part time, you must "prove" yourself to get full time hours, there is ALWAYS a line of associates trying to get full time, full time spots don't just magically open up, someone has to quit usually. if your manager doesn't want to see you 40 hours a week, even though you're great at your job and are available full time, you wont get full time, but your manager will keep that full time carrot dangling in front of you forever until you quit. -kissing the behind that is above you is key. -can become mortal enemies with some associates -people call in sick ALL. THE. TIME. making you short staffed and having to work that much harder -associates are split 70/30; stoner/jesus freak -management can make or break your experience, they're all different and have different ways of doing things, ive been told how to do the same thing 5 different ways before, and you're always wrong, save your breath arguing because no one cares, just say right on and keep on trucking. -management is usually garbage and is only there to exploit and wring dry the full time associates -it never gets better, only longer hours, worse scheduling, and being on call 24/7 on your days off as you rise the ranks, cant help out the team on your day off? bye bye possible promotion, its going to the next guy that's willing to die for in n out -high turn around so you're constantly baby sitting/training new hires, it gets very old. -EVERYTHING is competitive if you want to climb the ranks, if the right people don't like you, kiss any type of advancement goodbye. If you prove you don't care about the job from the get go, prepare to just be a trash runner every day until you quit. -backdoor politics, you can be denied promotion because another store manager doesn't like your store manager just to make them look bad. -you work WAYYYYYYY too hard for what you're paid. -if you're good at your job you will get taken advantage of. -pay; the highest level associate (pre management) doesn't even make enough for a 1 bedroom apartment in the ghetto where I am. -if its slow you'll get sent home early, if its busy you'll get overtime. -"do as I say not as I do" management culture -you max out at level 7 unless you want to get into management, getting into management is a whole other battle in itself -10 day work weeks, youll get called in on your days off, "turn around" shifts where you'll close (you leave at 2am) and be back at work at 10am 8 hours after you got home from the night before, multiple times a week. youll work a lot of "mids" (shifts that are in the middle of the day, you'll end up feeling like your life just revolves around work) -its an absolute grind of a job, same thing day in and day out -must shave and be clean cut, must have pristine white pants that the company doesn't provide enough of for how dirty you get every shift. ive spent over $500 of my own money on pants over 5 years -running shifts is extremely stressful. -the entire job is skill-based so there are people that are the same level but one person is absolute garbage and the other one actually knows what they're doing, and they both get paid the same. -walk an average of 3-7 miles a shift -if you want to make the "big bucks" you must bleed in n out and be prepared to sell your soul to the company, and put an average of 15 years in before you make a decent living. -no set promotion timeline; I've seen people get stores in 12 years with the company, and I've seen people with the company 20+ not even be an assistant manager. my last 3rd manager quit after 17 years because some other 3rd manager with 8 years with the company got promoted to a 2nd manager over him, you'll get taken advantage of and spit out when you've finally had enough. -if you don't want to get into management, you never make more money, even if you work with the company your entire life, which people do, these old in n out veterans make the same as someone like me that's only been with the company less than 5 years. -you have to let the company bend you over if you want to actually make decent money. -i cant believe i forgot about the WORST thing....the customer; people are ridiculously rude, or extremely stupid, or shooting heroin in your restroom, or throwing a shake at the wall in your restrooms, or turning tricks in your restroom, or urinating in your dining room, or throwing up in your drive lane, or grafittiing your walls, or attempting to scam you with fake bills, or respond to the question of "Hi! How are you?" with "cheeseburger". the customer is by far the worst thing about this job, but you just have to grit and bear it, always keeping that smile on your face. get 1 customer complaint? bet your behind you're not getting that promotion. -the ghetto trash that come through with their EBT cards with their car smelling like a cypress hill concert make me want to vomit and im extremely 420 friendly -the entitled karens that havent worked a day in their life. -tattoos must be covered.