What a remarkable treatise on this fantastic company you provided, Neela. Thank you for that. But something is missing, and since no one else has said it, I will.
The real reason In-and-Out is such a highly regarded brand is Lynsi Snyder's worldview: She is a committed evangelical Christian who lives out her faith in her business and personal life.
She is quoted as saying, “I finally found that the deep need in my heart can only be filled by Jesus and my identity in Him."
That's also why the company prints Bible verses on its packaging. On the soda cup is John 3:16, which reads, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
The milkshake cup has Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."
Hamburger and cheeseburger wrappers have Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
The famous Double-Double’s have Nahum 1:7 printed on the wrapper, which reads, "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him."
I say this somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but you could walk into In-and-Out an atheist and leave a born-again believer!
In-and-Out isn't the only Christian-owned fast food company. Chick-fil-A is well-known for being founded on Biblical principles. The company's mission statement reads, "To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A."
It also gets high marks for quality, service, and how it treats its employees.
Add to that Hobby Lobby (and its affiliate company Mardel), whose values include "honoring the Lord in all we do by operating in a manner consistent with Biblical principles."
It lives those values by offering customers exceptional selection and value and serving its employees and their families by "establishing a work environment and company policies that build character, strengthen individuals, and nurture families, and providing a return on the family’s investment, sharing the Lord’s blessings with our employees, and investing in our community."
I'm not suggesting that every highly rated business has a Christian worldview; I'm just pointing out that the underlying force behind this successful trio isn't ROI -- it's treating people the way Jesus would.
I appreciate your thoughtful addition to the conversation about In-N-Out, Paul.
While a company's religious values can certainly inform positive business practices, I think what makes companies like In-N-Out and Chick-fil-A successful (to me) is how they translate their founding principles into tangible actions that benefit customers, employees, and communities.
The subtle Bible verse references allow those who share their faith to feel connected while not creating barriers for those with different perspectives.
I am agnostic, and I am not offended, nor do I feel excluded :)
My parents and grandparents taught me how to treat others, and I will honor them by trying my best.
She and the company live out their faith by example in how they treat their customers and staff. I failed to mention another food retailer that follows suit: Hunt Brothers Pizza. I think every convenience store in America sells their products! LOL They list their company values right on the pizza boxes. And, if memory serves, they also used to put scripture verses on their packaging.
Ha, ha. That's why you see so many obese Christians. We ripped the part about gluttony right out of the Bible. :-) I'm focusing on a better diet instead of junk food. I may need to convert to Hinduism!
Love the collaboration here! Loved the story on leadership, which to me demonstrates how easy it can be for people to confuse 'leadership' with 'hey they said the thing we agree with and want to hear'.
"Show, don't tell" and "Actions speak louder than words" are two principles that ought to be much more heavily entrenched within leadership development (irrespective of sector) but more often than not fall by the wayside.
I think the other thing I also appreciate is that community and branding are both exercises that essentially focus on emotional connection. To quote May Angelou: "People will never forget how you made them feel."
Thank you Scott! That is so true, people can tell if you appreciate them or not. Synder is able to communicate appreciation to both her employees and customers, and as a result both groups are loyal to the brand she represents. So simple, yet so profound. Thanks for reading, commenting and sharing!
In N Out Burger is a great brand story which I have followed closely being a marketing specialist in the food - away - from - home channel. You nailed it: Under her leadership, In-N-Out has maintained its reputation for quality, consistency, and employee satisfaction. However, you do not walk the talk when you wrote "Sometimes, simpler is better." Suggestion 2,431 words post is not simple especially when you try to address political quicksand. Thought:: One who values community, values their community's time.
“However, you do not walk the talk when you wrote "Sometimes, simpler is better." Suggestion 2,431 words post is not simple especially when you try to address political quicksand.”
Jimmy, being more thoughtful and considerate in your comments is ALWAYS better. This is not it, this is unnecessary snark. A key part of community building is disagreeing without being disagreeable.
Certainty is dangerous in a complicated world— I couldn’t agree more. This one hit home in many ways, Neela.
My dad runs his business similar to how the In-n-out CEO runs hers. He keeps employees in mind, treats them fairly, treats his customers well, has expanded slowly and believes in quality over quantity. He believes in people over profit. He’s been successful for over 30 years and everyone who knows him likes him.
He’s also a longtime republican. I haven’t always agreed with all of his politics but it doesn’t matter. The world isn’t black and white and people are more than their political affiliations. Excellent piece! Can I give you a thousand claps or is that only a Medium thing? 😆
Thank you so much for sharing that personal connection, Shlee! Your father's business philosophy is exactly the kind of leadership I was thinking about when writing this piece. It's those long-term, people-first approaches that create lasting success and genuine community impact. Politics mean nothing at this point. Your thousand claps are well received. 😆
You can learn a lot about an organization by how they treat their employees. If they don’t pay a fair wage, create toxic work environments, or show no concern for their staff’s well-being, it speaks volumes. If a company lacks ethics with its own employees, chances are those same ethical issues will extend to other areas as well.
That's so true, Bette! I've always believed that employee treatment is the ultimate litmus test for an organization's values. It's like seeing the backstage of a performance - what happens behind the scenes tells you far more than the polished public image. I appreciate you stopping by here :)
This is amazing. Human trafficking may be the greatest problem this world is facing right now. It creates and helps facilitate so many other problems, and I fear we have no idea how widespread the problem is.
I really appreciate how you support In N Out and Lynsi even though you don’t agree with all her political views. I am the same way toward Patagonia’s founder. I think some of his political ideas are just plain batty, but his mindset toward his customers and building a relationship is the standard. I go out of my way to promote his company and their efforts, I even promote his political efforts when they align with my own.
Thanks for educating me on Lynsi and In N Out. And thanks for posting here, it’s an honor.
I agree with you on Human Trafficking - you know for 3 years I mentored young women who were trafficked. Prepped them for jobs and gave them general guidance. This program, while voluntary, ended in Jan :(
So this is something near and dear to my heart, and I hope I can launch a non-profit doing the same thing. And yes I hear you on Patagonia lol
That’s so wonderful of you, Neela. Like you, I love my rabbit holes. A few years ago, I started looking into human trafficking and what was driving it. I had to stop looking, what I learned was…more than I ever wanted to know. I hope you can too ❤️
What a remarkable treatise on this fantastic company you provided, Neela. Thank you for that. But something is missing, and since no one else has said it, I will.
The real reason In-and-Out is such a highly regarded brand is Lynsi Snyder's worldview: She is a committed evangelical Christian who lives out her faith in her business and personal life.
She is quoted as saying, “I finally found that the deep need in my heart can only be filled by Jesus and my identity in Him."
That's also why the company prints Bible verses on its packaging. On the soda cup is John 3:16, which reads, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
The milkshake cup has Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."
Hamburger and cheeseburger wrappers have Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
The famous Double-Double’s have Nahum 1:7 printed on the wrapper, which reads, "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him."
I say this somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but you could walk into In-and-Out an atheist and leave a born-again believer!
In-and-Out isn't the only Christian-owned fast food company. Chick-fil-A is well-known for being founded on Biblical principles. The company's mission statement reads, "To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A."
It also gets high marks for quality, service, and how it treats its employees.
Add to that Hobby Lobby (and its affiliate company Mardel), whose values include "honoring the Lord in all we do by operating in a manner consistent with Biblical principles."
It lives those values by offering customers exceptional selection and value and serving its employees and their families by "establishing a work environment and company policies that build character, strengthen individuals, and nurture families, and providing a return on the family’s investment, sharing the Lord’s blessings with our employees, and investing in our community."
I'm not suggesting that every highly rated business has a Christian worldview; I'm just pointing out that the underlying force behind this successful trio isn't ROI -- it's treating people the way Jesus would.
I appreciate your thoughtful addition to the conversation about In-N-Out, Paul.
While a company's religious values can certainly inform positive business practices, I think what makes companies like In-N-Out and Chick-fil-A successful (to me) is how they translate their founding principles into tangible actions that benefit customers, employees, and communities.
The subtle Bible verse references allow those who share their faith to feel connected while not creating barriers for those with different perspectives.
I am agnostic, and I am not offended, nor do I feel excluded :)
My parents and grandparents taught me how to treat others, and I will honor them by trying my best.
She and the company live out their faith by example in how they treat their customers and staff. I failed to mention another food retailer that follows suit: Hunt Brothers Pizza. I think every convenience store in America sells their products! LOL They list their company values right on the pizza boxes. And, if memory serves, they also used to put scripture verses on their packaging.
I have seen Hunt Bros but never tried it - will look for it next time Paul.
Happy Wednesday!
We have Christian hamburgers, fried chicken, and pizza! All the healthy foods. 😂
😂😂😂😂
Immediate conversion
Hinduism offers vegetables 🥒😂
See why I’m agnostic ..
French fries are now classified as a grain. That killed most of my vegetable intake right there 🤣
Ha, ha. That's why you see so many obese Christians. We ripped the part about gluttony right out of the Bible. :-) I'm focusing on a better diet instead of junk food. I may need to convert to Hinduism!
Love the collaboration here! Loved the story on leadership, which to me demonstrates how easy it can be for people to confuse 'leadership' with 'hey they said the thing we agree with and want to hear'.
"Show, don't tell" and "Actions speak louder than words" are two principles that ought to be much more heavily entrenched within leadership development (irrespective of sector) but more often than not fall by the wayside.
I think the other thing I also appreciate is that community and branding are both exercises that essentially focus on emotional connection. To quote May Angelou: "People will never forget how you made them feel."
Great work both!
Thank you Scott! That is so true, people can tell if you appreciate them or not. Synder is able to communicate appreciation to both her employees and customers, and as a result both groups are loyal to the brand she represents. So simple, yet so profound. Thanks for reading, commenting and sharing!
Too often, we infuse bias into things without understanding the ripple effect.
Love that Maya Angelou quote :)
Appreciate you, Scott.
Have a good week ahead.
In N Out Burger is a great brand story which I have followed closely being a marketing specialist in the food - away - from - home channel. You nailed it: Under her leadership, In-N-Out has maintained its reputation for quality, consistency, and employee satisfaction. However, you do not walk the talk when you wrote "Sometimes, simpler is better." Suggestion 2,431 words post is not simple especially when you try to address political quicksand. Thought:: One who values community, values their community's time.
You didn't have to read it, Jimmy. Please don't tell me how much I should write. You have agency -use it.
Neela: Thank you for your candor. Looks like I have two less rabbit holes to explore.
“However, you do not walk the talk when you wrote "Sometimes, simpler is better." Suggestion 2,431 words post is not simple especially when you try to address political quicksand.”
Jimmy, being more thoughtful and considerate in your comments is ALWAYS better. This is not it, this is unnecessary snark. A key part of community building is disagreeing without being disagreeable.
I'm not sure what Mack has to do with this. Your problem is clearly with me. I have tolerated your snark quite enough. Best of luck in your endeavors.
Also, please check out my post today on Neela’s Substack:
https://workmanshit.substack.com/p/why-i-love-marketing-is-why-i-love
Thank you for sharing the link - my bad .......
Certainty is dangerous in a complicated world— I couldn’t agree more. This one hit home in many ways, Neela.
My dad runs his business similar to how the In-n-out CEO runs hers. He keeps employees in mind, treats them fairly, treats his customers well, has expanded slowly and believes in quality over quantity. He believes in people over profit. He’s been successful for over 30 years and everyone who knows him likes him.
He’s also a longtime republican. I haven’t always agreed with all of his politics but it doesn’t matter. The world isn’t black and white and people are more than their political affiliations. Excellent piece! Can I give you a thousand claps or is that only a Medium thing? 😆
Shlee I clap every day for Neela, I just thought everyone did 🤣. Thanks for commenting!
Thank you so much for sharing that personal connection, Shlee! Your father's business philosophy is exactly the kind of leadership I was thinking about when writing this piece. It's those long-term, people-first approaches that create lasting success and genuine community impact. Politics mean nothing at this point. Your thousand claps are well received. 😆
You can learn a lot about an organization by how they treat their employees. If they don’t pay a fair wage, create toxic work environments, or show no concern for their staff’s well-being, it speaks volumes. If a company lacks ethics with its own employees, chances are those same ethical issues will extend to other areas as well.
That's so true, Bette! I've always believed that employee treatment is the ultimate litmus test for an organization's values. It's like seeing the backstage of a performance - what happens behind the scenes tells you far more than the polished public image. I appreciate you stopping by here :)
Agree with your litmus test, but I thought you would include community.
You can't build a community if you treat your employees like crap Jimmy lol
Anytime! Oh and guess what I had for lunch today!?! I'll give you a hint it has pineapple on it! 😂
Pizza???
Neela is always hating on pizza with pineapple! lol
Why would you or @Neela 🌶️ eat pizza? Were there no French fries available???
I'm not sure Neela does eat pizza - I just know she's always hating on my love for pineapple on it! lol
Not included in this article Lynsi's non profit
https://www.slave2nothing.org/about
- Assist individuals and their families to gain freedom and healing from substance abuse
- Create, educate, and assist with solutions to eliminate human trafficking
This is amazing. Human trafficking may be the greatest problem this world is facing right now. It creates and helps facilitate so many other problems, and I fear we have no idea how widespread the problem is.
I really appreciate how you support In N Out and Lynsi even though you don’t agree with all her political views. I am the same way toward Patagonia’s founder. I think some of his political ideas are just plain batty, but his mindset toward his customers and building a relationship is the standard. I go out of my way to promote his company and their efforts, I even promote his political efforts when they align with my own.
Thanks for educating me on Lynsi and In N Out. And thanks for posting here, it’s an honor.
I agree with you on Human Trafficking - you know for 3 years I mentored young women who were trafficked. Prepped them for jobs and gave them general guidance. This program, while voluntary, ended in Jan :(
So this is something near and dear to my heart, and I hope I can launch a non-profit doing the same thing. And yes I hear you on Patagonia lol
thank you again bro.
That’s so wonderful of you, Neela. Like you, I love my rabbit holes. A few years ago, I started looking into human trafficking and what was driving it. I had to stop looking, what I learned was…more than I ever wanted to know. I hope you can too ❤️
And in honor of our first collaboration I will be having In N Out tonight :)
Thank you for hosting my article in your publication, Mack.
And for anyone reading this please see Mack's post in my publication here:
https://workmanshit.substack.com/p/why-i-love-marketing-is-why-i-love