American burger chain In-N-Out returns to Singapore with pop-up on May 31

SINGAPORE – Fans of In-N-Out Burger will have another chance to taste its famous burgers on May 31, five years after the American chain last held a pop-up in Singapore.

According to an advertisement placed in The Straits Times on May 29, the event will run from 10am to 4pm at Columbus Coffee Company in Upper Thomson Road. The venue is a short walk from Upper Thomson station on the Thomson-East Coast Line.

Three types of burgers will be available in limited quantities and on a first-come, first-served basis: the Double-Double, Protein Style and Animal Style.

In-N-Out, a family-run chain, has locations in several western and south-western US states, including Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Texas. While it has no international stores, its pop-up events have drawn large crowds in cities such as Sydney and Tokyo, with the latter seeing a reported 1,000 people turning up for the four-hour event in 2023.

The brand counts celebrities as fans, with 2024 Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel telling People magazine that “the award show tradition is In-N-Out after the show”. And following the 2024 Golden Globes awards, actor Paul Giamatti, who claimed the best actor in a comedy or musical prize, was pictured celebrating his big win at the Westwood fast-food joint in Los Angeles.

The last In-N-Out pop-up in Singapore was held in March 2019,

during which fans waited for hours to try its offerings.

At the time, 320 wristbands allowing customers to purchase one burger each were given out, though the pop-up prepared ingredients to make 350 burgers.

One fan, who asked to be identified as Mr Ng, said he will be making his way to the pop-up on May 31 with a friend.

“I have had In-N-Out before when I was in the States,” the 30-year-old told The Straits Times.

When asked why he liked it, he said he found In-N-Out’s burger “a lot tastier and juicier” than its competitors’.

“I did not try it when it had the previous pop-up here, so this will be the first time in a while,” he added.

Ms Nicole Tan, 29, said she has yet to try an In-N-Out burger but would like to, especially the Double-Double.

However, as the pop-up is being held on a weekday, she will not be able to do so, but intends to ask her mother to queue for one to take away.

“I hope they come on a weekend in future or even open an outlet here,” she said.

This is the fourth time In-N-Out has held a pop-up here. In addition to the 2019 event, it also held one in 2012 at Boat Quay, during which wristbands for its burgers were snapped up within five minutes, and in 2014, at Timbre  @  Gillman.

Columbus Coffee Company has declined to comment.