Grilled Cheese
Two slices of melted American cheese with lettuce, tomato and spread on a toasted bun — the vegetarian staple of the not-so-secret menu.
The grilled cheese started life on the not-so-secret menu and became the default order for vegetarians and kids alike: two slices of American cheese melted on the grill, loaded into a toasted bun with the full vegetable build and spread. It eats like a proper burger minus the patty — and at about $3.05 it is the cheapest sandwich in the building. Add chopped chilies if you want it to bite back.
What's on it
American cheese (2 slices), lettuce, tomato, spread, sponge-dough bun
Allergens: Milk, wheat, soy, egg (spread), sesame (bun). Full details on the allergen page.
Typical price
$3.05
Calories
380
How to order
Say: "A grilled cheese." Add chopped chilies if you like heat.
Nutrition (approximate)
- Calories
- 380
- Total fat
- 19g
- Carbohydrates
- 40g
- Protein
- 13g
- Sodium
- 890mg
Full menu nutrition: nutrition & allergen page.
Good to know
- Prices vary by state — the Grilled Cheese can differ by up to 70¢ between the cheapest and priciest states. Check your state.
- Every burger can be ordered Animal Style or Protein Style at no extra structure change — see the secret menu.
- Onions are free, your way: raw, grilled, chopped, or a whole grilled onion.
More Than a Meatless Fallback
The grilled cheese exists because customers asked for it — it lived on the not-so-secret menu for years before many locations printed it. The build matters: two slices of American cheese go on the grill side of a toasted bun with the full fresh vegetable build and spread, so it arrives tasting like a burger that happens to have cheese as the main event, not like an afterthought.
For vegetarian visitors it is the centrepiece order — pair it with fries (cooked in their own fryer, in sunflower oil) and a shake and you have the complete In-N-Out meal, no compromises flagged.
Variations Worth Knowing
Order it with chopped chilies for heat, with grilled onions for sweetness, or Protein Style in lettuce if you are skipping the bun as well as the meat. Some regulars ask for the cheese extra-toasty — the crew will leave the slices on the heat a touch longer so the edges crisp.
Make It Yours
In-N-Out builds everything to order, so the Grilled Cheese is a starting point, not a fixed recipe. The variations regulars actually use:
| Variation | What changes | Cost / calories |
|---|---|---|
| Animal Style | Mustard-cooked patty, pickles, extra spread, grilled onions | Same price · +~40 Cal |
| Protein Style | Wrapped in lettuce instead of the bun | Same price · −~150 Cal |
| Mustard-fried | Mustard grilled into the patty | Free |
| Onion your way | Raw, grilled, chopped or whole grilled | Free |
| Chopped chilies | Spicy yellow chilies diced in | Free |
| Cut in half | Split for sharing | Free |
Grilled Cheese Questions
Is the grilled cheese vegetarian?
Yes — it is a cheese sandwich with lettuce, tomato and spread, no meat. It is prepared on the same grill as the burgers, which strict vegetarians should know.
How many calories in the grilled cheese?
About 380 calories — similar to the hamburger, with the protein lower and the cheese doing the work.