Jesus Freak Burger Bar

There’s a point in The Big Lebowski where the Dude, played by Jeff Bridges, finds his car has been stolen. The police retrieve the vehicle; it’s in a bad state, but at least the joyrider didn’t steal his Credence Clearwater Revival tapes. The dude later discovers a crumpled page of homework down the back of the driver’s seat. His friend Walter locates the owner of the homework. The kid lives just down the road from an In-N-Out Burger.

The first time I watched The Big Lebowski, I thought the name of the burger chain was just a humourous invention of the Coen brothers, but it’s not. In-N-Out Burger is a popular burger chain in California, Arizona and Nevada. The comical name aside, what’s interesting about In-N-Out Burger is that their food packaging carries bible references.

Snopes.com reports:

The soda cup bears the notation John 3:16:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The milkshake cup lists Proverbs 3:5:

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

The hamburger and cheeseburger wrappers point to Revelation 3:20:

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

The wrap used for the “Double-Double” (two burger patties and two slices of cheese) lists Nahum 1:7:

The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

Are the greasy burgers served up at In-N-Out really mana from heaven?

Other food chains, clothes retailers and airlines in the US place little references to the good book (no, not the Da Vinci Code) on their packaging too. Many of them go for John 3:16, which I think suffers from a surfeit of commas. I suppose somewhere in this nation, state, or possibly county, there is someone who, upon sating their appetite, exclaims: “Praise the Lord! That sure was a fine Double-Double burger!” That person is not me.