In-N-Out Burger has been a West Coast staple for nearly 80 years. For more than four decades, they were exclusive to California, but have since expanded throughout the Southwest and into the Pacific Northwest. For a while, the farthest east they came was Texas. In 2025, however, In-N-Out opened a new corporate office in Franklin, Tennessee. Four new establishments have since opened up within the state, with more planned.
With all of this expansion, you’d think that an East Coast takeover would be on the table. Apparently, that’s not the case. During a talk at Pepperdine University, In-N-Out’s CEO, Lynsi Snyder-Ellington (granddaughter of the original owners), told the audience that there are no plans and probably never will be for the company to open up an East Coast location. Instead, the company remains committed to quality and retaining the same customer service experience that diners are used to.
Eastern fans of legendary west coast burger chain In-N-Out shouldn’t expect a location in their city anytime soon, according to CEO Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson.
“We won’t compromise on quality just to expand,” she told a moderator while speaking at Pepperdine University on March 31. The executive, 43, also said she doesn’t see In-N-Out “being on the East Coast in my lifetime.”
Since its founding in 1948, the chain, mostly located on the West Coast and in the Southwest, has gained a cult following with its made-to-order burgers, upbeat employees and Bible verses printed on the packaging.
In the interest of maintaining those features, In-N-Out is also refusing to join the trend of offering online ordering or delivery, Snyder-Ellingson said in March.
“We have, for sure, had that put in front of us — and the answer is no,” she told the Pepperdine crowd.
“The main reason is part of what makes In-N-Out and the experience so special — [it’s] the interaction and the customer service that we’re able to give, the smile, the greeting, just that warmth and feeling, that culture.”
“And so, the mobile ordering will definitely take a piece of that away and there’s also the freshness factor,” she continued.
In-N-Out’s branding is “intentional and central to its strategy,” Amore Philip, a public relations strategist based in New York, told Fox News Digital.
“Brands with strong followings do not need to be available everywhere. They create destinations,” she said. “In-N-Out has fostered loyalty through scarcity and consistency, achieving more than most brands that rely on widespread convenience.”
Philip added, “This approach is not nostalgia, but deliberate positioning.”
Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist based in New York City, told the outlet there’s something “psychologically powerful” about the In-N-Out ordering experience.
“There’s also something to the fact that not everything should be instantly available,” he said. “When people have to seek something out, it can feel more special and more tied to habit, ritual and even identity.”
Well, this East Coaster gives that news a big thumbs down. Seriously, though, I am genuinely surprised they came as far east as Tennessee. I heard about it a few years ago and got excited that the East Coast could have a challenge to Five Guys (which I also love, but is way too expensive now). There is something special about In-N-Out’s location exclusively. My husband’s family is from California, so we generally go back to visit them once or twice a year and In-N-Out is always on our list. I don’t think it would be if it were easily accessible throughout the country.
The other big headline from Snyder-Ellingson was that In-N-Out has no plans to add a mobile app or let customers DoorDash their burgers. She cites the same line about freshness and customer experience that they always have. It’s pretty refreshing to see a company so stubbornly stick to their tried-and-true business model. It’s also a testament to their brand that, despite not keeping up with the times, people still flock to their establishments for burgers.
Photos credit: Emmettguy via Wikipedia, In-N-Out via Instagram
I thought, “Oh wow, a female CEO (but what an odd magazine shoot for a CEO). Then read founder’s granddaughter, sigh. I like the simplicity and commitment though.
Love the burgers but truly the worst fries in the fast food universe. We always order them in hopes they’ve improives, always a Charlie Brown football moment.
Yes those fries are the saddest, soggiest, limpest things around. I was told you’re supposed to ask them to fry them twice, but if I gotta have some special hack to make them edible, they need to fix it.
Whatever they fry their fries in gives me tummy troubles, so I’ve only had them twice (I’m in Texas so only had it in the past 10 years).
The animal style burger is good.
Quality over quantity is always good. Too many great companies have lost customers and then gone bust for not sticking to what they know and going for expansion for the sake of it.
She moved the company to TN for the same reason muskrat moved to Texas. She is nepo baby trash and a tax cheat. TN has a magat moron super majority in the legislature and one of the worst, most corrupt magat parasite governors in the union. They have given billions to billionaires/corporations with very little benefit to the tax payers of this state. TN also has a regressive tax code without a state income tax. @#$% skipped out on the state that made her family rich for generations to mooch off poor people paying nearly 10% on everything they buy, including most food. Eat the rich.
Excactly! EAT THE RICH ! They always find ways to avoid tax but want to live in a safe and good functioning country. F all of these grifters
I was going to ask, isn’t this the lady who was married to Jesse James (Sandra bullock’s ex) AFTER it came out he was a n*zi?? And she’s also somehow super evangelical? All of this tracks.
Speaking as a proud Midwesterner…they’re gonna stay in the West/Southwest because they know Culver’s would kick their ass anywhere else. 😆 Butterburgers, baby!!
This New Yorker is inclined to agree. I went to college in CA and most of my friends were natives and raved about In-N-Out: “OMG Miranda, you HAVE to try it! It’ll make you want to move here permanently!” I don’t know if I’ve ever been so underwhelmed. The fries in particular were, as stated above, an abomination. But Culver’s? Had it when I attended my friend’s wedding in Milwaukee, and my God. You mean I can get a buttery sourdough melt with extra cheese AND fried cheese as my side AND dipping cheese AND a giant cup of peach and caramel-laced frozen custard?! We were there for a week and no joke, went back 3 times. THAT is my unobtainable fast food craving.
Sounds like you need to plan a Chicago vacation! They’re all over the suburbs. Between living in suburban Chicago, having family in western WI and southeast MI, and vacationing in northern MI, my husband and I have eaten at approximately 50 different Culver’s thanks to all the road trips!
I’m either a small pa and ma joint burguer place or a good restaurant burguer snob where in both cases I can actually taste the ingredients so I rarely eat burgers in a fast food restaurant. My experiences reduce to A&W, Wendy’s and 5 guys and I try to avoid them at all cost so I have no idea if this chain is any good.
Totally overated!!
We have amazing burger chains here in Illinois so I’m good. I will take Culver’s over In-N-Out any day.
My dad was a road warrior (traveling salesman basically)
He loved In’n’out and would go there often
When he died we cleaned out his stuff. under the glass on his dresser was an ancient receipt from one that said on the top “your number is 666”
we laughed at that one at his wake