L.A. Times business columnist Michael Hiltzik writes that his life as a fast-food consumer pretty much ended once his kids could drive. But even back then, "I knew that all such chains could be divided into two categories: There was In-N-Out, and there was everybody else."

There's no denying that next to an In-N-Out burger, the fare at McDonald's, despite the latter's relentless menu experimentation and customer research, tastes like premasticated garbage.

The column actually addresses the company's future as a change in leadership looms and plans to go national are considered.