Reader: Yawn. Who Cares About In-N-Out?

Fans of In-N-Out Burger, a chain that started in Southern California in 1948 and gained a mythic reputation over the years, got an early Christmas present this week: In-N-Out is opening an outpost at the Aurora Town Center in 2020.

Two years ago, the company announced that it was opening a distribution center in Colorado Springs, as well as an eatery; this fall, it revealed that it was opening a spot in Lone Tree. And now it's coming even closer to the heart of metro Denver. But will residents welcome it?

Says Betty:

 I have had In-N-Out burgers and I didn't find anything specially outstanding. It was just a good burger.

Adds Kris:

 Yawn. Wake me when Original Tommy's gets out here. In-N-Out is too basic to get excited about.

Responds Arturo: 

We have Good Times, Freddy's, Five Guys. No need for In-N-Out.

Replies Stacy: 

...and don't forget the Cherry Cricket!

Counters John: 

 SFY, we all want In-N-Out.

Some readers expand the conversation beyond burgers to business, and whether we should celebrate California enterprises coming to Colorado at all. Notes Holly: 

The city of Denver is succeeding in driving out restaurants and small businesses in droves, like Rebel, Colt & Grey, Denver Bike Cafe and C Squared Cider, due to their ridiculously high, business-punishing tax rate. You will have empty, deteriorating buildings full of graffiti and homeless encampments in no time...

Adds Andrew:

 It’s pretty telling about the Denver food scene that people are most excited for and think In-N-Out is “good,” let alone the most stand out food coming to town. Denver food scene, for a city its size, is bottom-line mediocre at best.

Responds Troy:

 You're still being too kind. It's more like bottom line of the bottom line of the bottom.

Concludes Josh:

 You guys ever gonna post actual news like you did ten years ago or just whore out privately owned out-of-state businesses that nobody wants here?

Ironically, we've been writing about whether In-N-Out would come to Denver for well over a decade; the place has plenty of fans. But we also publish more than twenty restaurant-related stories on Westword.com every week, and very few involve out-of-state businesses.
This month, for example, we wrote about Colt & Gray closing and C Squared Cider moving. But we also celebrated homegrown restaurants expanding and new ones opening; Food & Drink editor Mark Antonation is particularly adept at sniffing out unusual new ethnic restaurants in unexpected corners of the metro area.

And just two weeks ago, we published our most recent Eat Here, the list of a hundred local restaurants we couldn't live without.

We know that these are tough times for local restaurants, and Denver diners should certainly celebrate their favorites. What restaurants do you love? What places would you be sorry to see go? Post a comment or send a message to [email protected].