The Popular Fast Food Chain That Boasts Its Own University

Many fast food places offer scholarships or opportunities for higher education, but a California chain takes things a step further. If you head to Baldwin Hills in Los Angeles, you can find a quaint replica of the first In-N-Out ever created. Sharing the parking lot with that, however, is a building boldly labeled "In-N-Out University." It's the former home of the company's founder, Harry Snyder, and it now hosts a training school for entry-level managers.

Similar to McDonald's Hamburger University, where students can graduate with a degree in "Hamburgerology," certifications from In-N-Out University aren't considered actual college degrees. Instead, individuals "graduate" from programs that train them to become managers. Attendees study training materials on how to keep restaurants up to cleanliness standards and how best to approach customer service. They also learn how to properly prepare the famed food, including the secret menu that's been around since the 1960s.

To attend In-N-Out University, a person must apply for a managerial position and be accepted. You could also already have a job with the burger chain and receive a promotion, which is how 80% of its managerial staff get their start. There's a reason In-N-Out is known as one of the best fast food chains to work at, after all. If you want to attend the University but don't want to work at In-N-Out, you're out of luck. You can still buy some fun merch in the attached company store and tour the nearby museum to find out more about its history.

In-N-Out opened its doors in 1948, but it took a while for In-N-Out University to take shape. Founder Harry Snyder left the local chain to his son, Rich Snyder, who took over at just 24. Until his taking over, the chain was still quite small, but Rich decided to change that. He began setting up more structured manager training and practices with an eye for expansion. Rich was also the one who began adding bible verses to In-N-Out's orders.

Rich started his manager training programs near the site of the first store, receiving his first students in 1977. The idea was to create a steady pipeline of skilled managerial staff because In-N-Out maintained a policy that it would only open a new location once it had enough management staff to do so. Later, in 1984, In-N-Out University got its very own building in Baldwin Park. It was only a single classroom at first, but that was enough to keep training its staff. Then in 1989, the attached company store opened. 

The education facility helped Rich facilitate In-N-Out's growth, and the chain has now expanded to over 400 locations. You can view the 1984 In-N-Out University building from the outside, but the doors remain closed to non-employees. If you peek through the front doors, you may be able to spot the small LEGO replica of the first store and a neon sign above the front desk reading "Training is Our Future." Given the history of this training facility and the still-growing popularity of In-N-Out, that mantra seems to be accurate.