In-N-Out plots eastward burger blitz — with four more states in its sights

In-N-Out president Lynsi Snyder has teased an eastward expansion for the SoCal burger joint in the past, while insisting they will always have a presence in California, and now she has revealed four states she is targeting.

The 44-year-old president and owner of the burger chain – the granddaughter of founders Esther and Harry Snyder – recently spoke with actor Terry Crews to commemorate the fast food chain’s 78th anniversary, with the first restaurant opening in Baldwin Park, California on October 22, 1948.

Snyder moved her family to Tennessee last year to start the chain’s eastward growth, though there are four states she is eyeing for further expansion.

“If you look at the map, you’ve got Texas. There’s Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma. There are some states that are possibilities,” Snyder explained.

She added, “New Mexico has been waiting for us, and that will be soon,” referring to a November 2023 Instagram announcement that they will open an Albuquerque restaurant by 2027.

The chain – which has remained private and family-owned since its inception, without turning to franchising – operates 445 restaurants in 10 states, with Snyder adding there are many states who request the chain to expand there.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

“Though I think there’s a lot of states that really want us there, it’s not really in the works and not planned,” she said. “I feel like there’s a special piece knowing that In-N-Out isn’t everywhere.”

Still, while expansion out of the chain’s home state of California is happening, she insists the company’s expansion is not exactly her top priority, adding she wants to, “make sure that everything is right” before each new restaurant opens.

“The goal is that the surroundings and the landscape and the weather and all of those things might be different, but we hope that In-N-Out stays the same,” she said.

Snyder also denied that the company is, “growing like crazy,” adding, “We have a very steady growth rate, and it’s not really going up. In fact, sometimes we don’t hit that.”

She insisted that the company leaving the state of California fully would be, “the dumbest business decision ever.”

“This is where we started, where we are and where we will always be,” Snyder said.

“We continue to grow in California and we have lots of stores slotted for future cities in California.”

Earlier this year, Snyder revealed that her company will never offer mobile ordering, despite many of her competitors doing so.

“We have for sure had that put in front of us, and the answer is no,” Snyder-Ellingson said during a talk at Pepperdine University in Malibu back in April.

“The main reason is part of what makes In-N-Out and the experience so special is the interaction and the customer service that we’re able to give, the smile, the greeting.”

“Just that warmth and feeling the culture. And so, the mobile ordering will definitely take a piece of that away and there’s also the freshness factor.”