In-N-Out burger may be headed to these 3 states next - USA Today
In-N-Out Burger may be expanding to three Southern states, the company’s CEO said this month in a sit-down interview shared on social media.
The chain may be headed to Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma, CEO Lynsi Snyder said in an interview with actor Terry Crews that In-N-Out shared on Facebook on Oct. 22 and on its website.
Snyder said the move to Texas in 2011 felt “very right,” and that other nearby states may be next.
“There’s some other states … that could be on the way,” she said. “If you look on the map, you’ve got Texas, there’s Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma. There’s some states there that are possibilities.”
She also hinted at the chain having a location in New Mexico.
In-N-Out, which owns all of its locations and has no franchisees, operates more than 400 locations in 10 states. In-N-Out has locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington, according to the burger chain’s website.
USA TODAY contacted In-N-Out Burger on Oct. 30 to ask for details about potential openings but did not receive a response.
Here’s what else Snyder said during her recent interview.
Snyder’s grandparents Esther and Harry founded In-N-Out Burger in 1948 in Baldwin Park, California. The chain, known as California's first drive-thru restaurant, began around the corner from their family home, according to the company's website.
While Esther handled accounting, Harry oversaw the meats and other ingredients. Each day before dawn, Harry went to meat and produce markets. His routine led locals to nickname him “Hamburger Harry,” his granddaughter said during this month’s interview.
The company puts Bible verses on its packaging, which Snyder said her late uncle started.
“He put them on the cups and the burger wrappers, and of course as time went by, he added a few more,” Snyder said.
During this month’s interview, Snyder said In-N-Out has a “very steady growth rate.” Her late uncle, Rich, wanted to expand to 200 restaurants by the year 2000. Her uncle died in 1993, but the company reached its goal by the year 2005.
“There’s a special peace knowing that In-N-Out isn’t everywhere,” Snyder said.
In-N-Out waited four decades before expanding outside of California, according to the company’s website. The first location outside California opened in November 1992 in Las Vegas.
According to Snyder, her husband's suggestion prompted In-N-Out to head to Tennessee last December.
“Something just kind of clicked,” she said, noting that they’ll need an office there. Tennessee is where she’ll be living next, Snyder added.
Having lived in California her whole life, Snyder said the Golden State will always be part of her, although she'll be moving soon. She reflected on California’s car culture, and surf music like the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean blasting.
“It’s where my family’s roots were,” she said. “There’s a very nostalgic, special feel.”
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s trending team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.
