Hype? I Don't Get it

So there's this place in Cali that everyone raves about ... I think it goes beyong Cali but I don't keep tabs on where the franchise opens as it's not one of my favorites.  I guess you can say that it's only a favorite by association, meaning that I eat here only because the people I'm with seem to love it so dearly and it's the best thing in the world for them.

I don't understand the hype about this place, In and Out.  Yes that burger place that has the secret menu, that burger place that looks like an old fashioned fast food place from the 60's and 70's.  I don't get it???  I really don't understand why everyone seems to love this place, is it the food, the atmosphere, or both? 

It's a place that I've been eating at for a few years now and I haven't found anything special about it except the secret menu which isn't so secret anymore since the internet became popular. 

The burgers are regular, they don't even have bacon as an option!  Comeon now ... there isn't any bacon!  The one thing I do like about the burgers is that they put a whole slice of onion on them when you order the grilled onions and not the sliced up pieces, but that's about it. 

This isn't a review of the place but just a general "WTF" as in I don't understand the hype with it.  I don't understand why people think it's so good here.  I'll be honest and will compare it to the places that I've been to before, the burger places.  The one with the Quartet of Guys definitely has better food than this place.  The fries alone, cajun fries that is trumps what In and Out has to offer ten fold. 

These are the cheese fries and it was alright, nothing to write home about, that's the reason why I don't feel like writing them a review as they aren't that great to me.  They might appeal to other people and are the best thing since sliced bread, but I don't understand and I might go through life never understanding why this place is so loved.

Perhaps it's the style and the way things are presented because I do admit that I like their old fashioned look and feel.  I like watching the single person putting a potato in that chopper and pulling on the handle to make the fresh fries. 

If someone does know why these burgers are "so good" to people, please let me know ... as the only responses I got were "they are just sooo good" but never a concrete reason as to why they are just so damn good.

+ mon