The In-N-Out Burger Callout: A Lesson in Flow and Predictable Production
Welcome, everyone. I hope you’re doing well and staying safe out there. In this blog, I want to share a concept I call the In-N-Out Burger Callout, a simple but powerful lesson in how to keep work flowing on a construction project.
Before I dive in, I want to revisit part of the builder’s code that has shaped the way I work: Excellence mostly, perfection sometimes. Years ago, a master builder told me to focus on excellence, not perfection. Most work only needs to be moved forward artfully and intentionally. But when it comes to safety, perfection is the standard. We don’t get a redo when someone gets hurt. Safety is where perfection lives.
I also want to share a message I received recently. Someone wrote to tell me they listened to my content before interviewing for a new role and that the leadership training they attended transformed not only their mindset but how their team saw them. Stories like that mean everything to me. They remind me why I do this work.
Now, let’s talk about In-N-Out.
Anyone who knows me knows I’m a huge In-N-Out fan. I grew up in California, and the flavor, the simplicity, and the “old-school burger joint” atmosphere hooked me early. Even now, despite focusing more on my health, I still find myself at In-N-Out once or twice a week. It’s a love story at this point.
But it’s not just the food. In-N-Out is one of the most consistently lean businesses I’ve ever seen. Their systems are tight, predictable, and incredibly stable. And here’s where the construction lesson comes in.
When you drive through Culver’s, for example, the product is great—but the order is wrong nearly every time. At In-N-Out, in hundreds and hundreds of visits, I can barely recall an incorrect order. Why? Because they do something brilliantly simple:
When a large or complex order comes in, they call it out verbally and start cooking early before the order ever enters the formal system.
If I walk in with my whole family, that’s 20 patties with cheese and 6 without. Before the cashier even finishes entering the order, someone shouts “20 and 6!” and the grill crew immediately starts preparing those patties. By the time I reach the window, the work is already done. The variation of a massive order is handled before it disrupts the normal flow.
That is the essence of the In-N-Out Burger Callout.
On a construction project, flow often breaks down because we fail to anticipate variation. People say, “This won’t work in takt planning,” or “What about this complex space?” But just like In-N-Out, predictable systems allow for strategic flexibility.
I saw this firsthand on the Bioscience Research Laboratory project. The electrician—one of the best I’ve ever worked with—came to me early. He said, “Jay Money, we’re flowing perfectly, but on level four we have feeders under the upper deck. If I don’t get ahead of that now, it’ll slow everything down later. Can I negotiate early access and start running rigid conduit?”
That is the In-N-Out Burger Callout in construction. He saw the variation coming. He called it out before it became a problem. And the project stayed on schedule because of it.
The lesson is simple but transformative:
Great builders don’t wait until flow breaks to react. They look ahead, spot variation, and call for what they need early labor, materials, approvals, access, or support so the system keeps moving.
Workers, foremen, field engineers, superintendents, PMs, if you learn to do this consistently, you will become one of those proactive leaders who protect flow instead of fighting fires.
I hope you enjoyed this blog.
If you want to learn more we have:
-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here)
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here)
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)
Discover Jason’s Expertise:
Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.
On we go
