Celebrations are in order for fans of one of the oldest burger joints in the country — especially fans who live in the eastern half of the country.
On Jan. 10, In-N-Out Burger, the decades-old burger staple that remains near-and-dear to folks out west, announced its intention to open restaurants in its easternmost location to date. The chain shared that Franklin, Tennessee will be the headquarters for this new operation, meaning that the residents of Nashville, a little over 20 miles to the north, likely have a lot of "Animal-Style" deliciousness in their future.
With over 35,000 employees serving burgers to celebrities who love the chain, like Ina Garten, Kim Kardashian, Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, In-N-Out’s workforce is set to grow even more. In-N-Out plans to open its first Tennessee restaurants by 2026, meaning that some lucky Southerners can enjoy roadkill fries before they head to a screening of “Avengers: Secret Wars.”
Celebrating its 75th anniversary in October of this year, In-N-Out is now one of the most recognizable fast-food brands in the country. Soon, it may inspire country musicians living in Nashville as much as it has inspired music by the hip-hop community.
“This expansion is significant for our Company,” said Lynsi Snyder, owner, president and sole granddaughter of Harry and Esther Snyder, the founders of In-N-Out, in a press release. “For many years, we’ve heard requests from our Customers in Tennessee to consider opening locations near them, further east than we’ve ever been. Our Customers are our most important asset at In-N-Out, and we very much look forward to serving them in years to come, and becoming part of the wonderful communities in The Volunteer State.”
Founded by the Snyders in 1948, California’s first drive-thru hamburger stand has grown from a single location in Baldwin Park, California into a beloved burger juggernaut with 385 locations.
While the chain has locations across California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon and Colorado, according to reports, the chain has avoided expanding to the East Coast for a couple of reasons: strict policy of serving its food fresh from its own facilities and its refusal to franchise like other burger chains such as Wendy’s and McDonald’s.
“We are very excited to provide Tennesseans with our quality burgers, fries and shakes,” said Snyder. “In every decision I make, I always consider what my family would want. I have no doubt that my grandparents, dad and uncle would be proud of this decision to grow our Associate family and serve even more amazing Customers beginning in Nashville and the surrounding areas.”
Next stop: East Coast? We'll just have to (hungrily) wait and see.
