We often hear ourselves telling people that the key to growth and profitability comes from doing the same thing over and over. It could be a repeatable process, a perfect design, or a recipe for managing acquisitions. The point is to know what that "one thing" is and figure out how to do more of it, rather than re-inventing your top sellers and looking for new lines of business. That doesn't mean we're opposed to innovation, we just think that creativity without purpose is not the same as progress.
For In-N-Out Burger that "one thing" is the menu, which hasn't changed in 60 years (except for the prices). Their primary innovation over the years has been to add indoor and outdoor seating areas (previously there were only drive-through and walk-up windows). No microwaves, no freezers, no chicken, no salad - just a great product with a long track record of growth.
Not only does this make us hungry for a "double-double animal style," it reinforces our observation that most companies are trying to develop too many new products. The problem with too many is that you end up with a bunch of mediocre ones - as opposed to a couple of winners.
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