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how many paper cups were dispensed.
    Harry was known to be fanatical about quality. He insisted on inspecting everything, and everything had to be done to his specifications. When it came to In-N-Out’s beef purchases, Harry constantly visited his meat supplier where he’d watch the butchers cut up the beef and make sure he got exactly what he paid for. He treated his suppliers well and never tried to exploit his relationships. Deals were struck on a handshake and lasted decades, often ending only if the supplier went out of business—or failed to meet Harry’s exacting standards. It was a policy that lasted for years. When it was discovered that a vendor had hidden a batch of substandard onions within a truckload of good ones, the supplier was unceremoniously dumped. Esther (who handled the invoices) always paid their purveyors on time. If a business partner came to her to collect his money personally, she wrote him a check on the spot.
    A savvy businessman, Harry established Snyder Distributing, a small paper goods wholesaler that sold such items as paper plates and napkins. At the time, In-N-Out Burger was too small to benefit from economies of scale by buying such items in bulk like many of its larger competitors. Snyder Distributing gave In-N-Out a way to buy supplies at a discount while turning a profit as a wholesaler selling to other businesses.
    A frugal and practical man in most respects, Harry was profligate when it came to purchasing the freshest, highest grade of meat, potatoes, and produce; he refused to sacrifice quality for the sake of profits. From the start, he was adamant about using only four to five slices of the thick, middle part of big, plump beefsteak tomatoes and onions. He demonstrated the same resolve when it came to using only the crisp inner leaves of the head of lettuce, throwing the rest away. It was a practice that never changed. “Mr. Snyder stressed quality from the first day he opened for business,” his wife once observed. “No matter what the price, he believed that the customer deserved the best product he could produce.”
    When it came to cleanliness, Harry’s zealousness perhaps only matched his fervor regarding quality. He didn’t feel that it was beneath him to scrub the floor or pick up trash. He even insisted that the gravel drive-through lane be swept between busy times. In fact, one of the Snyders’ innovations was the open kitchen. Behind a large glass window, In-N-Out’s customers could see how the burgers and fries were prepared and cooked and kept scrupulously clean. Harry made sure that his workers frequently washed their hands, especially after each time they took out the trash. “That place was immaculate,” remembered Lorraine O’Brien, who along with her husband later owned and lived at the Baldy View trailer park on Garvey. “I’d walk past that kitchen and never see a spot. And I never saw a dirty-necked boy working there in my life.”
    Harry didn’t like sloppy burgers, either. There was a system for building the burgers; the secret sauce was spread generously on the bottom slice of the bun to prevent it from running off at the ends. That way it wouldn’t drip through the paper wrapping when customers went to eat it. When it came to grilling the burgers, it was one minute on the first side and two minutes on the other so as not to lose the juices. When cooking the fries, the fryer was kept clean and floating pieces removed quickly. Salt was to be shaken while holding the container at shoulder length to ensure evenness. Buns were lightly toasted before the meat and onion were added, and each burger received two slices of tomato. Only those tomatoes thatfit five wide in a specially designed box were deemed the right size for In-N-Out.
    Not surprisingly, Harry did not believe in cutting corners. It was his belief that the main reason people came to In-N-Out was for the burgers—if the