Caliburger, the In-N-Out Burger Replica, is Coming to Vancouver

Canadians have been longing for an In-N-Out burger chain for ages, but chances of that happening are slim to none. Until now… sort of.

Caliburger, a “California-inspired” burger chain (where In-N-Out happens to have its roots), will be opening a storefront at 830 Thurlow Street (between Robson and Haro) in May 2016.

The burger chain was first opened in Shangai in 2012 and is seen as a replica of the incredibly popular California-based In-N-Out Burger.

It’s not just a coincidence that the burger chains are so similar. The executive chef of CaliBurger happens to be a former manager of an In-N-Out burger chain and happened to borrow some of the most popular menu items including the “Animal Style” fries and the “Double Double” burger, as well as the yellow and red branding.

So, how does it stack up to the incredibly popular In-N-Out chain? Only time will tell when the doors open to the new place. But, as the closest thing to the original that doesn’t require hopping on a plane, it’ll have to do for now.

In a recent article in The Seattle Times, Bethany Jean Clement outlined 5 reasons that Caliburger was better than the original. The reasons include:

1. CaliBurger’s burger is better than In-N-Out’s (mainly because the burger is much bigger). If you want to order from the secret menu (a la “Animal Style) you can ask for “Cali-style“).

1. The fries are fried twice which give them an extra crispy (and therefore, delicious) taste.

1. CaliBurger has boozy milkshakes. Who knows if Vancouver will get this option, but they get it in Seattle. Just $2 extra gets you a shot of Evan Williams bourbon in your scooped-to-order milkshake.

1. CaliBurger uses local favourites as a nice addition to their menus. In Seattle, they offer Full Tilt ice cream and Rachel’s Ginger Beer. Maybe in Vancouver they’ll offer up some locally craft-brewed beer.

1. CaliBurger has an ordering station by the entrance to speed up the process and you can play Minecraft on a huge screen with other CaliBurger patrons (in Seattle).

For all of us that haven’t even had a chance to try In-N-Out Burger this is a great opportunity. Here’s hoping that it matches expectations.

In case you’re wondering, “Cali-Style” is not listed on the menu but adds melted cheese and grilled onions to burgers or fries. This is very similar, if not essentially identical, to In-N-Out’s “Animal Style” addition that’s on the “secret menu.”

And yes, CaliBurger has been sued by In-N-Out, for trademark infringement and counterfeiting. This caused a menu re-vamp and an altering of branding. But the menu and the burgers live on.