In-N-Out Burger is not going anywhere, according to its owner. Lynsi Snyder, the chain’s president and owner, has publicly addressed speculation about the company’s In-N-Out California future, stating that the burger icon will remain rooted in the state where it began. The comments came during an interview with actor Terry Crews that In-N-Out posted online, in which Snyder was asked how the company plans to preserve its California identity as it expands nationwide.
A California Original
Snyder’s grandparents opened the first In-N-Out in Southern California in 1948. Since then, the company has grown steadily within the state and beyond, cultivating a devoted following that has turned new restaurant openings in other states into events for former Californians. Despite that expansion, Snyder made clear that California remains central to the brand. “This is where we started. It’s where we are now, and it’s where we will always be,” she said in the interview.
Her remarks follow concerns raised last year when she revealed that she and her family were moving to Tennessee. Snyder, who grew up in Northern California, cited difficulties raising children in California and said that “doing business is not easy” there. The disclosure prompted worries that In-N-Out might follow other companies out of the state. Snyder quickly clarified that her personal move did not signal a corporate departure. In a video posted to her Instagram page, she told followers that the company was not leaving California or abandoning its roots, and that every location was there to stay.
Rumors and Reality
In her latest interview, Snyder again batted down rumors that In-N-Out would close its California stores. “There were rumors about ‘they’re gonna close all their California stores.’ I’m like what where did this even come from? That’s unimaginable. I can’t even imagine that — dumbest business decision ever,” she said. She added that the chain continues to grow in California, with “lots of stores” planned for other cities across the state.
The company maintains headquarters in both California and Tennessee. In-N-Out has expanded to Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado, Idaho, Washington and Tennessee. Snyder suggested that Mississippi, Arkansas and Oklahoma are under consideration, with New Mexico also in the works. Even so, she stressed that growth would be deliberate and would not come at the expense of food quality or the values established by her grandparents. She also acknowledged that In-N-Out would not be able to accommodate every request for a new location.
Personal Roots, Business Ties
Snyder described her family’s relocation to Tennessee as “kind of a God thing.” She had originally wanted to move to Colorado because she loves the mountains, but her husband proposed Tennessee instead. Although they had already made plans, she recalled that “something just kind of clicked.” She felt it, began looking into it and praying, and concluded that Tennessee was where they were supposed to go.
Despite the personal move, Snyder’s message about the business is unambiguous: In-N-Out’s California presence is not in question. The chain may be expanding across the country, but its identity and its future remain tied to the state that started it all.
