Gorilla Style is real, but not in the way most guides tell you. It is a fan-invented burger hack, not an In-N-Out menu item, and the staff will not assemble it for you. There is no button for it on the register. You order the parts separately and you build it yourself at the table. That distinction matters more than it sounds, because the closely related “Monkey Style” has been publicly denied by In-N-Out for over a decade, and the company’s own owner shot it down on social media in 2024.
Walking up to a counter and asking for either name is the fastest way to get a blank stare. This guide covers what Gorilla Style actually is, the two competing definitions floating around, the exact wording that works at the counter, honest calorie math, and the fake ingredients that keep getting copied from site to site. One of them is bacon, and In-N-Out does not sell bacon.
What Is In-N-Out Gorilla Style?
Gorilla Style is a burger with a Flying Dutchman and Animal Style fries stacked inside it. It is an “everything at once” build, and it exists entirely because customers invented it.The most commonly cited version, the one food media settled on, works like this:
- Order a Double-Double with grilled onions.
- Order a Flying Dutchman, which is two patties and two cheese slices with no bun and no vegetables.
- Order Animal Style fries.
- Open the Double-Double, drop the Flying Dutchman inside, add a handful of Animal Style fries, and close the bun.
The result is four patties, four slices of cheese, and cheese-and-spread-covered fries inside a single bun. It is closer to an engineering problem than a sandwich.
There is no official recipe. Food Republic put it plainly: Gorilla Style is not a secret menu item with set ingredients. Some people use the name for the full Flying Dutchman build above. Others use it for any burger with Animal Style fries stuffed in the middle. Both usages are common, which is exactly why saying the name out loud gets you nowhere.
Gorilla Style vs Monkey Style: The Part Every Guide Skips
These two names get used interchangeably, and the history behind them is worth knowing before you order.
Monkey Style supposedly means a burger with Animal Style fries inside. It has been circulating since around 2013, and In-N-Out has denied it consistently the entire time. An In-N-Out executive told the Los Angeles Times in 2013 that there is no such thing and that the story appeared to have originated online. Employees have said in public forums that stores were told years ago not to make it.
In July 2024, a food account posted a viral video telling millions of viewers to order Monkey Style. In-N-Out owner Lynsi Snyder replied with a skeptical face and a thumbs-down emoji, signaling the company did not support the trend. Workers in the comments were blunt about how often they have to turn the order down, with one saying stores were told years ago not to make it.
Gorilla Style is commonly described as the bigger, more over-the-top version of Monkey Style, but it falls into the same category: an unofficial, fan-created order rather than a real In-N-Out menu item. While the ingredients themselves exist on the menu, the company has never recognized “Gorilla Style” as an official customization, and most locations will not prepare a burger simply by using that name.
The key point is straightforward: Monkey Style and Gorilla Style are internet-created names, not official In-N-Out orders. If you want a similar combination, you’ll need to request the individual ingredients or modifications separately instead of ordering by the nickname. This avoids confusion and gives the staff clear instructions on how to prepare your burger.
The Difference Between Gorilla Style and Animal Style
Here is where most articles fall apart. They present a comparison table where the Gorilla Style fries and Animal Style fries columns list identical ingredients in a different order, which tells you nothing.
The actual difference:
Feature | Animal Style | Gorilla Style |
|---|---|---|
Official Status | Official item on In-N-Out’s Not-So-Secret Menu | Unofficial, fan-created order |
Who Prepares It | Kitchen staff prepare it by name | Assembled by the customer at the table |
Extra Cost | No extra charge | Pay separately for every item |
What It Is | A special burger preparation method | A stack of multiple menu items |
Burger Modifications | Mustard-grilled patties, extra spread, grilled onions, and pickles | Flying Dutchman patties with extra cheese and fries added inside |
Estimated Calories Added | Minimal increase | Around 1,100 extra calories over a Double-Double |
Animal Style is a modification. Gorilla Style is an assembly project. They are not the same class of thing, and Gorilla Style is not “Animal Style but more.”
How to Order Gorilla Style
Skip the unofficial nicknames. Instead, order each ingredient or customization separately so the staff knows exactly what you want.
At the counter or drive-thru, say:
“A Double-Double with grilled onions, a Flying Dutchman, and an order of Animal Style fries.”
That is it. Every one of those three is a real, recognized order that the register has buttons for. Staff will make all three without hesitation. Then you assemble it yourself.
A few refinements worth knowing:
- Want it mustard-grilled? Ask for the Double-Double Animal Style. That adds mustard-grilled patties, extra spread, grilled onions, and pickles at no charge.
- Want heat? Ask for chopped chilies on the burger. Free.
- Want a sturdier bun? Ask for extra toast. It helps, because a normal bun collapses under this.
- Want it smaller? Skip the Flying Dutchman and just add Animal Style fries to your burger. That is the lighter version people call Monkey Style, and it is far easier to eat.
- Want more beef but less mess? Order a 3×3 instead of stacking a Flying Dutchman into a Double-Double. Three patties, three cheese, one clean build, and the kitchen does the work.
Ordering etiquette matters here. Staff are not being difficult when they decline a name they do not recognize. Fake viral items create real friction for people working a rush. Describing what you want in plain terms takes five seconds and gets you the exact same food.
In-N-Out Gorilla Style Price
There is no set price, because there is no set item. You pay for three separate orders. Prices vary by state, with California highest and Texas lowest.
Component | Approximate Price |
|---|---|
Double-Double | $5.50 – $6.75 |
Flying Dutchman | $2.50 – $3.50 |
Animal Style Fries | $4.00 – $4.50 |
Estimated Gorilla Style Total | $12.00 – $14.75 |
The lighter build, a Double-Double plus Animal Style fries with no Flying Dutchman, lands around $9.50 to $11.25. Two things worth flagging. First, Animal Style on a burger is free, but Animal Style fries are a separate paid item, which surprises people. Second, ignore any guide quoting exact upcharges like “extra cheese +$0.50.” In-N-Out does not publish secret menu or modification pricing anywhere, and cashiers calculate it per order.
Gorilla Style Calories
In-N-Out publishes nutrition for its official items only. It has never published a figure for Gorilla Style, for obvious reasons. What we can do is add up the parts using official numbers where they exist.
Component | Estimated Calories |
|---|---|
Double-Double | 610 (Official) |
Flying Dutchman | ~360 (Estimated) |
Animal Style Fries | ~750 (Estimated) |
Estimated Gorilla Style Total | ~1,720 Calories |
The Flying Dutchman estimate comes from In-N-Out’s own published figures. A Hamburger is 360 calories and a Cheeseburger is 430, so a cheese slice is about 70. A Double-Double is 610, so a patty plus a cheese slice adds about 180, which puts a patty near 110. Two patties and two cheese slices with no bun and no vegetables lands around 360. Animal Style fries start from official 360-calorie fries, then add two slices of cheese, spread, and grilled onions. Estimates commonly land between 700 and 820.
So roughly 1,700 to 1,800 calories for the full build, before a drink. The lighter Monkey Style version, a Double-Double plus Animal Style fries, comes to about 1,360. Treat every number here as an estimate except the 610. That is the honest position, and it is more than most guides will tell you.
Real Secret Menu Items You Can Actually Order
Since Gorilla Style requires DIY, it helps to know which items the kitchen will actually build by name.
Burgers:
- Animal Style: mustard-grilled patties, extra spread, grilled onions, pickles. Free on any burger.
- Protein Style: bun replaced with a lettuce wrap. Free. A Protein Style Hamburger is roughly 210 calories, since the bun accounts for about 150.
- Flying Dutchman: exactly two patties and two cheese slices. No bun, no lettuce, no vegetables. This is not a lettuce wrap, which is a mix-up that appears in a lot of guides. The name comes from Guy Snyder, Lynsi Snyder’s father, whose drag-racing nickname was the Flying Dutchman after his Dutch heritage. It was his personal order, the cooks all knew it, and the name stuck.
- Grilled Onion Wrapped Flying Dutchman: the same, with whole grilled onion slices standing in for the bun.
- 3×3: three patties, three cheese slices.
- 4×4: four patties, four cheese slices. This is the maximum. In-N-Out capped custom burgers at four patties in the mid-2000s.
- Grilled Cheese: the full burger build with cheese and no patty.
- Mustard-grilled patty: the Animal Style grill technique
Fries:
- Animal Style Fries: topped with melted American cheese, grilled onions, and In-N-Out’s signature spread. This is one of the chain’s most popular secret menu items and costs extra because of the added ingredients.
- Cheese Fries: regular fresh-cut fries topped with melted American cheese only. They skip the spread and grilled onions, making them a simpler alternative to Animal Style Fries.
- Well-Done, Light Well, or Light Fries: customize how long your fries are cooked. Light fries stay softer, Light Well offers a balance of softness and crispiness, while Well-Done fries are cooked longer for a darker, crunchier texture. These requests are completely free.
- Fries with a Chopped Beef Patty (“Roadkill Fries”): Animal Style Fries topped with a chopped beef patty. Although this combination is well known online, “Roadkill Fries” is not an official In-N-Out menu name, so it’s best to order the individual ingredients rather than using the nickname.
- Fresh-Cut Fries: Every order starts with whole potatoes that are peeled, sliced, and cooked in sunflower oil.
Drinks:
- Neapolitan Shake: a classic blend of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry shakes mixed into one cup. It delivers all three signature flavors at once and is one of the most popular off-menu drink combinations requested by regular customers.
- Black & White Shake: combines vanilla and chocolate shakes for a smooth, rich flavor that balances creamy sweetness with deep chocolate notes. It’s a longtime customer favorite for anyone who can’t choose between the two.
- Root Beer Float: made by pairing root beer with a vanilla shake, creating a thick, creamy drink with a nostalgic flavor. Availability may vary by location.
- Arnold Palmer: a refreshing mix of fresh lemonade and iced tea that offers a lighter alternative to fountain sodas. The sweet-tart balance makes it one of the chain’s most popular custom drink orders.
- Lemon-Up: combines 7UP and fresh lemonade for a crisp, citrus-forward drink that’s especially refreshing on hot days. It’s a simple off-menu favorite that can usually be made anywhere both beverages are available.
Fake In-N-Out Items to Ignore
These circulate constantly and none of them are real:
- Bacon anything. In-N-Out has never sold bacon. Any guide telling you to “add bacon or chopped chilies” to a Gorilla Style burger is copying a fabricated ingredient. Chilies are real. Bacon is not.
- 6×6, 5×5, or anything above a 4×4. The cap has been four patties since the mid-2000s, after the famous 100×100 order in Las Vegas in 2004.
- Doggy Style fries. Supposedly fries with chopped hot dogs. In-N-Out does not sell hot dogs.
- A chicken sandwich. It does not exist.
- Monkey Style as an orderable name. Denied by the company since 2013 and by the owner personally in 2024.
Is Gorilla Style Worth It?
It works if: you like the spectacle, you are splitting it with someone, or you want an enormous amount of food for around $13. The flavor logic is sound. Salty fries, sweet grilled onions, tangy spread, and four patties do go together.
Skip it if: you want to eat a burger without disassembling it. Four patties plus fries exceeds what a bun can structurally hold, and the sauce goes everywhere. At roughly 1,700 calories and heavy sodium, it is a once-in-a-while stunt, not a lunch.
The honest middle ground: order a 3×3 Animal Style with a side of Animal Style fries. You get nearly the same flavor profile, the kitchen builds it properly, it costs less, and you can actually eat it.
Final Thoughts
Gorilla Style is a real thing to eat and a fake thing to order. Everything in it comes off In-N-Out’s actual menu, so nobody is stopping you from building it. But the name carries no weight at the counter, and the closely related Monkey Style has been debunked by the company’s own owner.
Say the three real orders out loud, take them to a table, and stack them yourself. That is how Gorilla Style has always worked, no matter how many sites tell you to ask for it by name.
FAQs
Are Animal Style and Gorilla Style the same?
No. Animal Style is an official free modification: mustard-grilled patties, extra spread, grilled onions, and pickles. Gorilla Style is a fan-built stack that puts a Flying Dutchman and Animal Style fries inside a burger. In-N-Out makes the first one and does not make the second.
Will every In-N-Out make Gorilla Style?
No location will build it for you by name, and most staff will not recognize the term. Order the components separately and assemble it yourself.
How many calories are in a Gorilla Style burger?
Roughly 1,700 to 1,800, based on a 610-calorie Double-Double plus an estimated 360-calorie Flying Dutchman and around 750 calories of Animal Style fries. In-N-Out has never published an official figure.
What does Gorilla Style cost?
About $12 to $14.75 total, since you are buying three separate items. It varies by state.
Is Monkey Style real?
No. In-N-Out denied it publicly in 2013, employees confirm stores were told not to make it, and owner Lynsi Snyder dismissed a viral video promoting it in 2024. The food can be assembled by you, but the order does not exist.
Can I get bacon on a Gorilla Style burger?
No. In-N-Out does not sell bacon. Chopped chilies are the closest real add-on for extra flavor.
Is Gorilla Style messy?
Extremely. That is the entire point, and it is also the main reason to think twice. Ask for extra toast to help the bun hold together.
Can I make it bigger than four patties?
No. In-N-Out caps custom burgers at a 4×4. A Gorilla Style build reaches four patties by combining a Double-Double and a Flying Dutchman, which is two separate orders rather than one oversized burger.
