I’ve eaten at four different In-N-Out Burger locations over the years—two in California, one in Salem, Oregon, and the Ridgefield, Washington location. Despite being separated by hundreds of miles, they all have one thing in common: the experience is remarkably consistent. Now there is one in Hillsboro Oregon. Only A fifteen minute drive from my home.

No matter which location I visit, I know I’m going to wait.

Not five minutes. Not ten minutes. More like thirty minutes to an hour, depending on the time of day. Yet somehow people keep coming back, and so do I. That got me wondering: what exactly makes an In-N-Out Burger so special?

After careful scientific observation—mostly while staring longingly at the cars ahead of me in the drive-thru—I have come to a conclusion. The secret ingredient isn’t the sauce. It isn’t the fresh beef. It isn’t even the hand-cut fries or fresh ingredients.

It’s starvation.

By the time you finally reach the ordering window, you’ve spent so much time smelling burgers and watching everyone else eat that you’re practically ready to chew on the steering wheel. Today for the grand opening it was just under an hour.

When that Double-Double finally arrives in your hands, your body responds as if you’ve been rescued after weeks stranded on a deserted island. Of course it tastes incredible—everything tastes incredible when you’re that hungry. Even the wrapper tastes good.

And honestly, that’s part of the charm.

The newest In-N-Out has opened nearby in Hillsboro, and I can only imagine what opening week will look like. Two-hour lines? Three-hour lines? It’s located in one of the worst traffic areas in Hillsboro on 185th the near the mall.  I think there are more workers guiding traffic than cooking burgers. Perhaps enough time to read a novel, listen to a podcast series, or contemplate the meaning of life. But eventually, after my stomach begins sending distress signals, I’ll finally reach the window, grab that burger, and declare once again:

“Yep, that’s a good burger.”

Of course, there is a backup plan.

Conveniently, a McDonald’s sits right next door. If I start getting lightheaded or begin seeing mirages of French fries dancing in the parking lot, I can always bail out and grab a Big Mac. And honestly, after two hours of self-imposed fasting, that Big Mac would probably taste amazing too.

For those of us on the Long Beach Peninsula, the adventure becomes even more impressive. It’s about a three-hour drive to the nearest In-N-Out Burger in Hillsboro. If you’re smart, you won’t eat before leaving. That way, after three hours on the road and another hour waiting in line, you’ll have completed the full four-hour fasting program. This is a short time to rumoured trips from Fans on the East Coast have reported cross-country road trips of 2,000–3,000 miles, though the burger is only one reason for the trip.

At that point, I guarantee that burger is going to taste excellent.

Forget secret menus and animal style. The real secret is simple: show up hungry and let anticipation do the rest. May I suggest a 4×4 for those driving over from longbeach.

Maybe In-N-Out has accidentally discovered the perfect business model. Make people wait just long enough that by the time they finally get their food, they’d swear it was the greatest burger ever created.

And judging by those lines, millions of Americans seem perfectly happy to participate in this delicious little ritual of sitting in the drive through for an hour.

As an alternative.rather than driving three hours, B&D’s Food Hut in Long Beach WA has become a local favorite for its juicy, crispy-edged Smash burgers and perfectly seasoned fries. Consistently high ratings  makes it one of Long Beach’s standout spots for burger lovers.