In-N-Out Chopped Chilis: What They Are & How to Order

In-N-Out chopped chilis are one of the best free upgrades on the menu — and most people have no idea they exist. They’re small, pickled cascabella peppers, chopped fine and added directly to your burger or fries at no extra charge. They’re tangy, slightly sour, and noticeably hotter than banana peppers. This page covers what exactly In-N-Out’s chopped chilis are, what kind of peppers they use, how spicy they actually are, how to order them, which foods they pair best with, and their official nutrition info.

What Are In-N-Out Chopped Chilis?

In-N-Out chopped chilis are pickled yellow peppers — chopped into small pieces — that you can request as a free topping on any burger or fries. They’re not on the menu board, which is why most casual customers never order them. But any associate knows exactly what you’re asking for.

The peppers are pre-pickled in a vinegar brine, which gives them a tangy, slightly sour flavor alongside the heat. They’re diced small enough that they spread evenly across the burger or fries rather than landing in one big spicy chunk. The texture is crunchy, which adds something to the bite that grilled onions and spread don’t.

This is one of the few In-N-Out customizations that’s genuinely free, genuinely easy to order, and genuinely changes the experience of the food. It’s not a gimmick — regular In-N-Out customers in Southern California have been adding these peppers for decades.

What Kind of Peppers Does In-N-Out Use for Chopped Chilis?

In-N-Out uses cascabella peppers for their chopped chilis. These are small, cone-shaped, yellow wax peppers that are pickled before serving. They’re sometimes confused with banana peppers because they’re a similar yellow color, but cascabellas are noticeably hotter and tangier.

Cascabellas sit at 1,500 to 6,000 Scoville units — solidly in the mild-to-medium range. They’re hotter than banana peppers by a significant margin but nowhere near jalapeño territory. The pickling process also amplifies the heat perception — the vinegar sharpens the spice feel even if the underlying pepper isn’t scorching hot.

The “changed” question: Some customers have noticed that the chopped chilis at their location tasted different at certain times. That’s because when cascabella peppers are unavailable due to supply issues (which has happened periodically, including in 2016 and again in recent years), some locations have temporarily substituted banana peppers. The two are visually similar but taste meaningfully different — banana peppers are milder and sweeter. If you’re getting a milder, sweeter version than you remember, that’s likely why. The standard pepper is still the cascabella when available.

According to In-N-Out’s official ingredient list, the chopped chilies contain: Peppers, Water, Vinegar, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate or Sodium Bisulfite (preservative), Sodium Metabisulfite (color retention), Turmeric (color), Polysorbate 80.

How Spicy Are In-N-Out Chopped Chilis?

Mild to medium — with a noticeable kick that’s easy to manage if you eat spicy food regularly. On the Scoville scale, cascabella peppers run from 1,500 to 6,000 units. For context, banana peppers top out around 500, and jalapeños start around 2,500.

The pickling process matters too. The vinegar brine sharpens the spice sensation without actually adding heat. A lot of people describe In-N-Out’s chopped chilis as “spicier than they look.”

If you have a low spice tolerance, start with a small amount on the side and add more gradually. If you eat jalapeños regularly, these will feel totally approachable.

In-N-Out Chopped Chilis Calories & Nutrition

This is one of the few times the nutrition facts make an add-on completely guilt-free. Official numbers from In-N-Out’s nutrition page (January 2026):

Zero calories. The only thing worth noting is the 90mg of sodium, which comes from the pickling brine. That’s low — a regular In-N-Out cheeseburger has 1,080mg of sodium by comparison, so the chilies are a negligible addition.

For anyone tracking macros, watching carbs, or eating keto, chopped chilis add nothing to your count. Add as much as you want without thinking about it.

How to Order In-N-Out Chopped Chilis

Ordering is straightforward — just know the right words.

At the counter or drive-thru: Say: “Can I get chopped chilis on my burger?” or “Add chopped chilis to the fries, please.”

That’s all you need. Every In-N-Out associate knows what chopped chilis are. You don’t need to explain what kind of pepper, how they’re prepared, or what “secret menu” means. Just say “chopped chilis” and they’ll handle the rest.

Want them on the side? Say: “Can I get whole peppers on the side?” They’ll give you a small container of the whole cascabella peppers — not chopped — which you can add yourself. This is useful if you want to control how much heat goes on each bite.

Want extra? Say: “Extra chopped chilis, please.” Simple.

Want them on Animal Style? Animal Style fries with chopped chilis is one of the most popular combinations. The heat from the peppers cuts through the richness of the spread and grilled onions really well. Order it: “Animal Style fries with chopped chilis.”

What to Add Chopped Chilis To

You can add chopped chilis to basically anything at In-N-Out. Here’s what works best:

Burgers

Chopped chilis go well on any burger — Double-Double, Cheeseburger, or Hamburger. They add heat and tang that balances the richness of the beef and cheese. Particularly good on Animal Style burgers where the mustard-fried patty and grilled onions already have a lot going on — the chilis add another layer without being out of place.

Best combo: Double-Double Animal Style + chopped chilis. The sweet grilled onions, the tangy spread, and the spicy pickled peppers work together better than any of them do alone.

Fries

Regular fries with chopped chilis is an underrated order. The vinegar tang of the peppers does for fries what malt vinegar does in the UK — it brightens the whole thing. Well done fries hold up better under the moisture from the peppers, so if you’re ordering fries with chilis, get them well done.

Animal Style fries + chopped chilis is the full loaded version. It’s messy and you need to eat it immediately, but it’s worth it.

Grilled Cheese

If you’re not eating meat, a Grilled Cheese with chopped chilis is a solid combination. The pepper cuts through the richness of the melted American cheese and gives the sandwich some life.

Does In-N-Out Have Chili Cheese Fries?

No. In-N-Out does not serve chili cheese fries — not on the regular menu and not as a secret menu item. There is no meat chili at In-N-Out. The closest thing to “chili fries” would be Animal Style fries with chopped chilis added, but that’s a completely different product — pickled peppers, not meat chili sauce.

This is a common search because of the name overlap. “Chopped chilis” sounds like it could be chili, but it’s just pickled peppers. In-N-Out has never offered a meat chili topping. See the fries page for everything that is available on fries.

In-N-Out Chopped Chilis FAQ