# What the Hell, Jack in the Box? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 1, 2025, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459 "2025-04-01T18:37:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/21 "2025-04-01T20:54:45Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > People still eat at Jack in the Box? Jack at the Box is a common restaurant in California, Texas, Arizona, and Washington State. It’s rarer outside those states. There are 29 states (and Washington, D. C.) with none of those restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/22 "2025-04-01T20:55:30Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > has yet to go global, or even expanded into another country There are Jack in the Box restaurants in Mexico and in Guam. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/23 "2025-04-01T21:01:27Z")
Guam is a U.S. territory, so its culinary lingo usually follows American English norms. That means “entrée” = main course there. If you _do_ hear “entree” in Mexico (usually spelled entrada), it means starter or appetizer—the opposite of what it means in the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/24 "2025-04-01T21:05:55Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > > [@Atamasama](#): > > > > the definition of an entree is that it’s the main part of a meal > > In the U.S. and Canada, that’s the definition, but in other English-speaking countries, it’s a small item served before the main course. And more importantly, from a prescriptivist’s point of view, is that the original meaning is a “small item served before the course”, while other meanings are later misuses of the word. Descriptivists, on the other hand, are fine with using in certain speech communities meanings like the “main part of a meal” , because that is how it’s commonly used in that speech community. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/25 "2025-04-01T21:15:00Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Descriptivists, on the other hand, are fine with using in certain speech communities meanings like the “main part of a meal” , because that is how it’s commonly used in that speech community. And a fast food place would be pretty dumb to use it in a way that their customers won’t understand, since it’s not used that way in their country. I mean, if you’re going to focus on that and not the usage of “drive thru” I don’t know what to say… ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/26 "2025-04-01T21:18:58Z")
Even in North America “entrée” is complicated. Eating at a generic restaurant? It means the main course. Having multi-course fine dining, regardless of cuisine? Here it’s the mini-main after the soup / salad / appetizer and before the real main course. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/27 "2025-04-01T21:27:04Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Jack at the Box is a common restaurant in California, Texas, Arizona, and Washington State. I’m quite familiar with Jack in the Box; just surprised that people intentionally eat there. There is a good reason the Coen Brothers namecheck In-N-Out in _The Big Lebowski_, because no one ever said of Jack in the Box, “Those are good burgers, Walter!” Stranger ---
**Author:** ![sunacres](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@sunacres](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunacres)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/28 "2025-04-01T21:36:05Z")
I dunno, but these days anybody offering more than one item for five bucks can call them anything they please. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/29 "2025-04-01T21:36:12Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Having multi-course fine dining, regardless of cuisine? Here it’s the mini-main after the soup / salad / appetizer and before the real main course. True indeed. In fact, that’s usually the case in my household, which closely resembles Downton Abbey. Though American, we uphold the grand traditions of British aristocracy. When the butler and second footman present the entrees, they do so with great ceremony — prior to the main course, naturally. _Lord Tibby of Tuna-on-Rye_ …though to be clear, they don’t serve _me_. I’m the scullery maid. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/30 "2025-04-01T21:38:59Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > I’m quite familiar with Jack in the Box; just surprised that people intentionally eat there. It’s my favorite fast food place. At no other fast food joint that I know of can I find a menu that diverse and get anything at any time of day. Breakfast sandwich at 9 PM? A burger in the morning? An egg roll with two tacos and an order of French toast sticks? Sure! > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > There is a good reason the Coen Brothers namecheck In-N-Out in _The Big Lebowski_, because no one ever said of Jack in the Box, “Those are good burgers, Walter!” The Sourdough Jack is the best fast food burger I’ve ever had. In-N-Out burgers are gross; they just taste like salt. 🤢 Either that or the place I ate at had awful cooks. I was so disappointed because I’d heard them hyped up so much. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/31 "2025-04-01T21:42:47Z")
Of course, that isn’t a very clear reference to many people outside California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado, and Idaho, since those are the only states where In-N-Out restaurants are located. On a trip to California several years ago, I thought that this might be the only chance I would have to try the food at an In-N-Out. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to visit one near me. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/32 "2025-04-01T22:08:54Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Not the kind of prescriptivist who’s too lazy to figure out how to do diacriticals. I just cut and paste them. I’m lazy, too. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > Having multi-course fine dining, regardless of cuisine? Here it’s the mini-main after the soup / salad / appetizer and before the real main course. I guess I’ve never had fine dining, since I’ve never seen that on a menu. But I live in the provinces, and I don’t mean Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/33 "2025-04-01T23:21:51Z")
I take the same degree of “offense” in referring to their junk-food as **entree** , as I do referring to their retail outlets as **restaurant** … Sorry, a run down McD/BK/JIAB/TacoB is not a restaurant, and what is sirved there ain’t entrees, Corp’s stop surgarcoating a turd ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/34 "2025-04-01T23:23:54Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > I take the same degree of “offense” in referring to their junk-food as **entree** , as I do referring to their retail outlets as **restaurant** … I’m no snob and I’ll eat at a fast food joint quite happily if I’m not dieting and I am out and about and need some food. But just the same, “restaurant” is polishing a turd for these establishments. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![pirviii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pirviii/32/3233_2.png) [@pirviii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pirviii)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/35 "2025-04-02T01:24:26Z")
I am extremely offended that they haven’t built a Jack near me as the ones we have in town aren’t convenient to me. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/36 "2025-04-02T03:41:36Z")
We had trips to Austin Texas and Seattle last year. We made a point to hit up fast food places that we don’t have locally in the upper Midwest. Jack in the Box, WhatABurger, Sonic, Schlotszky’s are all rare dining experiences for us. I said _rare_, not _fine_. ---
**Author:** ![Boudicca90](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boudicca90/32/16818_2.png) [@Boudicca90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boudicca90)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/37 "2025-04-02T10:26:53Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > I’m quite familiar with Jack in the Box; just surprised that people intentionally eat there. Jack In The Box is one of my favorite fast food restaurants, and I eat there a lot more than In-N-Out. I like them more because they have a much bigger variety, are open 24 hours, and serve anything regardless of time of day. I find In-N-Out to be good, but not worth the extremely long amount of time I have to wait in line at the drive thru. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/38 "2025-04-02T11:32:32Z")
When I was a kid, there was a Jack-in-the-Box in a nearby town in New Jersey. It’s long gone now, like a fast-food ghost story. I remember the food being pretty decent and quite varied—but getting that food? That was a journey through Uncanny Valley (to be fair, that kind of describes New Jersey in general). The drive-through was straight out of a Tim Burton fever dream. You had to order from this giant plastic clown head that loomed over your car like a ghoul from Beetlejuice. And the voice? Oh man—some poor teenage kid with a squeaky, voice-cracking delivery trying to sound authoritative. _“W-w-welcome to Jack-in-the-Box, may I take your o-o-order?”_ 🫣 That thing haunted my Happy Meals. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/39 "2025-04-02T13:26:41Z")
> [@Boudicca90](#): > > I find In-N-Out to be good, but not worth the extremely long amount of time I have to wait in line at the drive thru. You can always go inside to wait for an extremely long amount of time… ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459/40 "2025-04-02T15:11:08Z")
I object to the weird e that’s not on my American keyboard. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-jack-in-the-box/1016459.md?page=3)