If you live in California, you’ve likely been driving past the same In-N-Out Burger on your way to work for as long as you can remember. As of the late nineties, people living in Nevada, Arizona, and Utah may also have noticed the chain’s new locations springing up in their hometowns. But, in case those of you living east of the In-N-Out scene (or you Californians, Utahans, Nevadans, and Arizonans who remain out of the loop) are confused by the ever-increasing popularity and the recently achieved “pop culture icon” status of In-N-Out Burger, I’ll break it down for you:

In-N-Out Burger has been around for quite a while, having popped up as California’s first drive-thru hamburger stand in 1948. Since that time, over a hundred venues have opened up and down California’s coast, making In-N-Out a blessing for picky (or broke) eaters on West Coast road trips. Due to its devotion to fresh foods, In-N-Out offers a guilt-free burger, fries, and milkshake—all of which you can watch employees flipping, frying, and packing (respectively) before your eyes.

In fact, that’s all In-N-Out offers. Absent are the faux-healthy grilled chicken sandwiches, the questionable ribs, and the soggy breakfast muffins characteristic of other fast food joints. Luckily, the burgers, fries, and shakes that In-N-Out produces are tasty enough that you won’t mind the menu’s lack of variety. With some practice, you might even come to master the special vocabulary that will allow you to tailor your In-N-Out meal to your liking. Some key burger terms are “Protein Style,” which means substituting lettuce instead for a bun, “4x4” (related to, but fundamentally different from, “3x3”), which indicates four beef patties and four slices of cheese, and “Animal Style” (time-tested favorite of teenage males), the burger equivalent of an everything bagel. Coupled with In-N-Out’s special “spread” (which true aficionados pretend isn’t just Thousand Island dressing), every In-N-Out product is unique, exciting, and delicious. The price is right, too.

In-N-Out’s esteem results from more than its excellent burgers (though they certainly don’t hurt). The chain has yet to suffer a scandal related to severed fingers, scalding coffee, or underpaid employees, and its ubiquitous nature is generally a cause not of bitterness (a la McDonald’s), but rather of relief (a la clean public restrooms), such that people with a soft spot for Americana and/or funny paper hats can eat at In-N-Out without feeling like sellouts. Its California origins also cause customers to associate the chain with the juicy, beefy flavor of palm trees and scenic highways.

So, Southwesterners, allow yourself to stop at that In-N-Out once in a while—don’t just drive past—and non-In-N-Out-state Americans, consider this incentive for your next road trip.