In-N-Out Burger, the West Coast fast food chain that made a prominent cameo in The Big Lebowski, opened a tiny pop-up shop in London for a few hours on Wednesday, and the line spanned several city blocks. The plan was for the pop-up to serve from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., but people starting filling the sidewalk by 8 a.m., and soon In-N-Out was turning people away for lack of supplies. The epic queue was so long—putting to shame the average crowd at a DMV or a Shake Shack—that a man driving past it at a reasonable speed took a full 30 seconds to film the whole thing. You can watch that helpful observer’s video here.
In-N-Out has a history of opening up pop-ups in other countries, which is ironic considering the brand's reluctance to spread out much within the United States. The company, which started in California and has expanded to a handful of western states, says it has a strict policy of serving its food fresh, and won't use freezers or microwaves. Therefore, an In-N-Out vice president told Business Insider, the chain won't open a branch anywhere that vehicles from its distribution centers can't reach quickly. So, an In-N-Out in New York City? Never. But a pop-up in London (at least for a few hours)? Sure.
