In-N-Out Burgers,
doing business as
A trade name, trading name, or business name is a pseudonym used by companies that do not operate under their registered company name. The term for this type of alternative name is fictitious business name. Registering the fictitious name with ...
In-N-Out Burger, is an American regional
chain of
fast food restaurants with locations primarily in
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
and to a lesser extent the
Southwest
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west— ...
from Oregon to Texas. It was founded in
Baldwin Park, California, in 1948 by
Harry (1913–1976) and
Esther Snyder (1920–2006). The chain is headquartered in
Irvine, California
Irvine () is a Planned community, planned city in central Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It was named in 1888 for the landowner James Irvine. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the ...
, and has expanded outside
Southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...
into the rest of California, as well as into
Arizona
Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...
,
Utah
Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...
,
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
,
Oregon
Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
,
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
, and
Idaho
Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...
, and is planning expansions into
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
and
Tennessee
Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
. The current owner is
Lynsi Snyder, the Snyders' only grandchild.
As the chain has expanded, it has opened several distribution centers in addition to its original Baldwin Park location. The new facilities, located in
Lathrop, California;
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...
;
Draper, Utah;
Dallas, Texas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
; and
Colorado Springs, Colorado will provide for potential future expansion into other parts of the country.
In-N-Out Burger has chosen not to
franchise its operations or
go public; one reason is the prospect of food quality or customer consistency being compromised by excessively rapid business growth.
The In-N-Out restaurant chain has developed a highly loyal customer base
and has been rated as one of the top fast food restaurants in several customer satisfaction surveys.
History
First generation
In-N-Out Burger's first location was opened in the Los Angeles suburb of
Baldwin Park, California, in 1948 by the Snyders
at the southwest corner of what is now the intersection of
Interstate 10 and Francisquito Avenue. The restaurant was the first
drive-thru hamburger stand in California, allowing drivers to place orders via a two-way speaker system.
This was a new and unique idea, since in post-
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
California,
carhops were used to take orders and serve food.
In 1951, a second In-N-Out was opened in
Covina, California, west of the intersection of Grand Avenue and Arrow Highway. The company remained a relatively small
southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...
chain until the 1970s. The Snyders managed their first restaurants closely to ensure quality was maintained. The chain had 18 restaurants when Harry Snyder died in 1976, at the age of 63.
Second generation
In 1976, 24-year-old
Rich Snyder became the company president after his father's death. Along with his brother Guy, Rich had begun working in his father's In-N-Outs at an early age. Over the next 20 years, the chain experienced a period of rapid growth under Rich's leadership, expanding to 93
restaurants.
In June 1988, In-N-Out opened its 50th location, in
Thousand Palms, California.
The first location outside of the
Los Angeles metropolitan area opened in
San Diego County in 1990, the 57th location in the chain.
In 1992, In-N-Out opened its first non-Southern California restaurant, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Its first Northern California location opened the following year in
Modesto.
Expansion then spread to
Northern California
Northern California (commonly shortened to NorCal) is a geocultural region that comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California, spanning the northernmost 48 of the state's List of counties in California, 58 counties. Northern Ca ...
, including the
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a List of regions of California, region of California surrounding and including San Francisco Bay, and anchored by the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, California, S ...
, while additional
Las Vegas-area restaurants were added. After opening store 93 In-N-Out in
Fresno, California
Fresno (; ) is a city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County, California, Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley (California), Central Valley region. It covers a ...
, on December 15, 1993, Rich Snyder and four other passengers died in a plane crash on approach to
John Wayne Airport in
Orange County, California
Orange County (officially the County of Orange; often initialized O.C.) is a county (United States), county located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population ...
. The charter aircraft they were on had been following a
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is an American Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliner designed and built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
The then-named 7N7, a twinjet successor for the trijet Boeing 727, 727, received its first orders in August 1978.
The ...
in for landing, became caught in its
wake turbulence, and crashed. The ensuing crash investigation led to the
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...
requirement for an adequate distance between heavy aircraft and following light aircraft to allow wake turbulence to diminish.
Upon Rich Snyder's death, Guy Snyder assumed the presidency in January 1994 and continued the company's aggressive expansion until he died from an overdose of painkillers in 1999.
Under his leadership, In-N-Out's 100th location was opened in Gilroy, California on November 10, 1994.
He was president for nearly six years, expanding In-N-Out from 93 to 140 locations.
His mother Esther subsequently took over the presidency.
The 21st century
With Esther Snyder's death in 2006 at the age of 86, the presidency passed to Mark Taylor, former vice president of operations. Taylor became the company's fifth president and first non-family member to hold the position, although he does have ties to the family. The company's current heiress is Lynsi Snyder, daughter of Guy and only grandchild of Esther and Harry Snyder. Snyder, who was 23 years old and known as Lynsi Martinez at her grandmother's death, owns the company through a trust. She gained control of 50% of the company in 2012 when she turned 30, and nearly full control at 35 in May 2017.
After participating in various roles in the company, Snyder assumed the presidency in 2010, becoming the company's sixth president. However, most major decisions are made by a seven-member executive team. Snyder does not intend to franchise nor sell and plans to pass on ownership of the company to her children.
In 2018, In-N-Out donated $25,000 to the California Republican Party. In 2021 it donated $40,000. In-N-Out COO Mark Taylor, and his wife, Traci, have donated to Donald Trump's presidential campaigns.
On January 24, 2024, In-N-Out announced the closure of its only store in
Oakland, California, due to safety concerns related to crime, marking the first time in its 75-year history that the company has shut down a location.
Expansion
The company opened locations in
Arizona
Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
in 2000 and added new restaurants in
Reno,
Sparks, and
Carson City,
Nevada, in late 2004. In-N-Out became a huge success in these new locations. In late December 2005, In-N-Out's 200th location was opened in
Temecula, California.
In 2007, it opened its first restaurant in
Tucson, Arizona. The store opening broke company records for the most burgers sold in one day and the most sold in one week.

In 2008, In-N-Out expanded into a fourth state by opening a location in
Washington, Utah, a suburb of
St. George. By late 2009, the chain expanded into northern Utah with three new locations situated in
Draper,
American Fork,
and
Orem.
More locations opened in the spring of 2010 in
West Valley City,
West Jordan,
Centerville, and
Riverton.
In 2013, In-N-Out opened a distribution center in Las Vegas to serve mountain area restaurants.
In May 2010, In-N-Out announced plans to open new spots into
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
, specifically within the
Dallas–Fort Worth area with the first In-N-Out opening in
Frisco and
Allen on May 11, 2011. The chain opened its first location in
Austin in December 2013.
There are 18 restaurant locations in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, and four in the Austin area. These new locations in Texas required the company to build a new patty production facility and distribution center in the state,
according to company vice president Carl Van Fleet. In March 2014, the company confirmed its first location in San Antonio. The fall of 2014 saw the restaurant open its 22nd Texas location in
Killeen.
On November 20, 2014, In-N-Out opened its first location in
San Antonio
San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...
followed by its first location in
Waco in November 2015.
In January 2017, In-N-Out announced plans to expand into
Houston
Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
with multiple sites planned in the area, the first being in
Stafford.
In January 2015, In-N-Out opened its 300th restaurant, which was located in
Anaheim, California
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orang ...
.
At the time of the opening, the company had generated $558 million in annual sales and employed nearly 18,000 in California, Nevada, Utah, Texas and Arizona.
The company opened its first location in Oregon on September 9, 2015 (the same day as
Harry Snyder's birthday) in
Medford.
It is supplied from the Lathrop, California, distribution center completed in 2006. President
Lynsi Snyder stated during the opening that they will continue to open new spots. A second Oregon location was under construction in
Grants Pass during September 2017.
On August 21, 2018, In-N-Out announced plans to open a location in the
Willamette Valley in
Keizer. This was the company's northernmost location.
On November 30, 2017, the company announced plans to build a production facility and distribution center in
Colorado Springs, ahead of an expansion into
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
, which is scheduled to be completed in 2021. The first Colorado locations opened in Colorado Springs and
Aurora on November 20, 2020.
In-N-Out received approval for a new distribution center to open in
Chino, California
Chino ( ; Spanish for "Curly") is a city in the western end of San Bernardino County, California, United States, with Los Angeles County to its west and Orange County to its south in the Southern California region.
Chino's surroundings ha ...
, in 2020, taking some of the load off the long-standing Baldwin Park distribution center. The center opened later that year.
On November 24, 2020, In-N-Out signaled that it was in the early stages of opening a store in
Idaho
Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...
. The first store in the state opened in
Meridian in December 2023. In-N-Out later expressed interest in opening additional stores in Boise and Nampa, as well as a second location in Meridian. The company pursued various locations around
Portland, Oregon
Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...
, which were rejected or stalled due to development issues; a location in
Ridgefield, Washington
Ridgefield is a city in northern Clark County, Washington, Clark County, Washington (state), Washington, United States. The population was 10,319 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, and according to 2023 census estimates, the city is e ...
, the first in Washington state, was announced in 2024.
On January 10, 2023, Tennessee governor
Bill Lee and In-N-Out president Lynsi Snyder announced that a new hub would be built in
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city in and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. About south of Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, it is one of the principal cities of the Nashville metropolitan area and Middle Tennessee. As of 2020 Uni ...
, to open by 2026, and restaurants in the Southeast, beginning in the
Nashville area. It is the company's first eastern hub and will involve a $125.5 million investment.
In-N-Out is planning to expand to
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
by 2027, with locations in
Albuquerque. After expanding to New Mexico, In-N-Out will have a presence is every state in the Southwest.
Products
The In-N-Out menu consists of three burger varieties: hamburger, cheeseburger, and "Double-Double" (two hamburger patties and two slices of cheese). French fries and fountain drinks are available, as well as three flavors of milkshakes. The hamburgers come with lettuce, tomato, with or without onions (the customer is asked upon ordering, and may have them fresh or grilled), and a sauce, which is called "spread" (a
Thousand Island dressing variant).
There are, however, additional named items not on the menu, but available at every In-N-Out. These variations reside on the chain's "secret menu", though the menu is accessible on the company's website. These variations include 3×3 (which has three patties and three slices of cheese), 4×4 (four patties and four slices of cheese),
Neapolitan shakes, grilled cheese sandwich (consists of the same ingredients as the burgers except the meat, plus two slices of melted cheese), Protein Style (wrap with lettuce; consists of the same ingredients as the burgers except buns), and Animal Style (cooked in a thin layer of mustard, adding condiments including pickles, grilled onions, and extra spread). Animal Style fries come with two slices of melted cheese, spread, and grilled onions on top. Whole or sliced
chili pepper
Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli ( ), are varieties of fruit#Berries, berry-fruit plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to ...
s are also available by request. Both Protein and Animal Style are house specialties that the company has trademarked because of their association with the chain.
Until 2005, In-N-Out accommodated burger orders of any size by adding patties and slices of cheese at an additional cost. A particularly famous incident involving a 100×100 (100 patties, 100 slices of cheese) occurred in 2004. Once word got out of the massive sandwich, In-N-Out management disallowed anything larger than a 4×4. One can also order what is called a "Flying Dutchman" which consists of two meat patties and two slices of cheese by itself (no bun, condiments, or vegetables).
In January 2018, In-N-Out added hot chocolate with marshmallows, the first addition to the menu in fifteen years. However, it is not the first time it has appeared on the menu; it was previously served at the restaurants in its early years during the 1950s. The cocoa powder is provided by the
Ghirardelli Chocolate Company.
Store design and layout
The signature colors for In-N-Out are white, red, and yellow. The white is used for the buildings' exterior walls and the employees' basic uniform. Red is used for the buildings' roofs and the employees' aprons and hats. Yellow is used for the decorative band on the roof and iconic arrow in the logo. However, variations in the color scheme do occur.
The first In-N-Outs had a common design, placing the kitchen "stand" between two lanes of cars. The "front" lane is nearest the street and the "back" lane away from the street. This location design is known as a double drive-thru. A metal awning provides shade for several tables for customers desiring to park and eat, but there is no indoor dining. A walk-up window faces the parking area. These restaurants store food and supplies in a separate building, and it is not uncommon for a driver to be asked to wait a moment while employees carry supplies to the kitchen across the rear lane.
This design is a popular image on In-N-Out ads and artwork, which often shows classic cars such as 1965 Mustangs and 1968 Firebirds visiting the original restaurants. The original Covina restaurant, located on Arrow Highway west of Grand Avenue, was forced to close in the early 1990s due to re-engineering and development of the area. A modern design, drive-up/dining room restaurant was built a few hundred feet away. The replacement building was much larger, being nearly half the size of the previous building's lot.
Like many chain restaurants, newer In-N-Out restaurants are based on a set of templates or "cookie-cutter" blueprints, which are chosen based on available space and expected traffic levels. While the external appearance of its buildings may vary to meet local zoning and architectural requirements, the interior floor plan and decor in most recently constructed In-N-Out restaurants are identical. However, some restaurants are designed to stand out, such as the restaurants at
Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco and
Westwood, Los Angeles
Westwood is a commercial and residential neighborhood in the northern central portion of the Westside (Los Angeles County), Westside region of the city of Los Angeles, California. It is the home of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCL ...
designed by architect
Stephen Kanner.
Today's typical location has an interior layout that includes a customer service counter with
registers in front of a kitchen and food preparation area. There are separate storage areas for paper goods (napkins, bags, etc.) and "dry" food goods (potatoes, buns, etc.), as well as a walk-in refrigerator for perishable goods (lettuce, cheese, spread, etc.), and a dedicated meat refrigerator for burger patties. The customer area includes an indoor dining room with a combination of booths, tables, and bar-style seating. Outside seating is usually available as well, with tables and benches. Most newer restaurants contain a one-lane
drive-through.
There are other design elements common among today's In-N-Out locations. Matching In-N-Out's California-inspired
palm tree theme, palm trees are sometimes planted to form an "X" in front of the restaurants. This is an allusion to founder Harry Snyder's favorite movie,
Stanley Kramer's ''
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'', in which the characters look for a hidden treasure and find it under "the big W" made by four palm trees, with the middle two forming an "X".
Advertising

Like other fast-food chains, In-N-Out uses roadside billboards that direct customers to the nearest location. Billboard ads display an image of the trademarked Double-Double burger. The chain uses short radio commercials, often limited to the song "In-N-Out, In-N-Out. That's what a hamburger's all about." Television commercials, which are less common, feature the hamburger's visual appeal. In-N-Out seldom uses celebrities in ads, although
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese ( ; born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer, and Television presenter, presenter. Emerging from the Footlights, Cambridge Footlights in the 1960s, he first achieved success at the Edinbur ...
and
John Goodman have voiced radio spots. In the past, the Snyders also sponsored Christmas music programming with
voice-overs expressing the meaning of the holiday.
In addition to commercials, In-N-Out benefits from enthusiastic
fans who talk to each other. For many years, it has given customers free bumper stickers, which simply say "In-N-Out Burger" but are commonly modified to say "In-N-Out urge". The company helps devoted customers advertise its brand by selling souvenir clothing with the In-N-Out logo.
Celebrity fans and free endorsements in mass media also promote the business. When
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
winner and
Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith raved about In-N-Out cheeseburgers during a press conference before the
2007 BCS National Championship Game, a senior executive said: "It does not get much better than that for us. We're kind of a small company, and we do not have any celebrity endorsers. But I think we just got the best one we could have."
Huell Howser was allowed, in what is believed to be a first, to film with his television cameras inside a store for a California's Gold Special. The show also included a behind-the-scenes tour of the In-N-Out Headquarters. Gift items are sold at an In-N-Out "Company Store" near the chain's birthplace in Baldwin Park, California. A replica of the first store from 1948 was unveiled near the original site in 2014.
Culture
Popularity

The restaurant has achieved popularity which has led to celebration by some when brought to new locations, and the opening of a new restaurant often becomes an event. When one opened in
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in eastern Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, and is part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Named Scottsdale in 1894 after its founder Winfield Scott (chaplain), Winfield Scott, a retired Chaplain Corps (United States ...
, there was a four-hour wait for food, and news helicopters whirled above the parking lot.
The chain's image has also made it popular in some unusual ways. For example, In-N-Out is still considered acceptable in some areas with strong opposition to corporate food restaurants, such as
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...
. Commercial leaders in San Francisco's
Fisherman's Wharf district said they opposed every other fast-food chain except In-N-Out because they wanted to maintain the flavor of family-owned, decades-old businesses in the area, with one saying locals would ordinarily "be up in arms about a fast-food operation coming to Fisherman's Wharf," but "this is different."
California native and
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. Th ...
player
Jason Giambi would often visit In-N-Out Burger when on the West Coast with his former team, the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
. He said he tried to open an In-N-Out Burger restaurant in New York but was unsuccessful.
The chain also has fans in a number of renowned chefs including
Gordon Ramsay,
Thomas Keller,
Julia Child,
Anthony Bourdain,
Ina Garten, and
Mario Batali.
Famous London chef/restaurateur Ramsay ate In-N-Out for the first time when taping ''
Hell's Kitchen'' in Los Angeles, and it soon became one of his favorite spots for take-out.
Ramsay was quoted, saying about the experience: "In-N-Out burgers were extraordinary. I was so bad, I sat in the restaurant, had my double cheeseburger then minutes later I drove back round and got the same thing again to take away."
Thomas Keller, a fan of In-N-Out, celebrated with In-N-Out burgers at the anniversary party of his restaurant,
The French Laundry.
Keller also plans on opening his own burger restaurant inspired by his Los Angeles experience of In-N-Out.
Julia Child, one of the first celebrities to champion the chain, admitted to knowing every location of the restaurant between Santa Barbara and San Francisco.
Child also had the burgers delivered to her during a hospital stay.
Anthony Bourdain reportedly said that In-N-Out was his favorite fast food meal, later naming the restaurant as "the best restaurant in Los Angeles".
Ina Garten at an interview at ''Today'' show said "I have to say, I don't eat fast food at all, with one exception. When we're in California doing book tours, we always have to go to In-N-Out Burger. It's so good and I know it was Julia Child's favorite too, so it's okay."
In-N-Out was one of the few restaurant chains mentioned positively in the book ''
Fast Food Nation''. The book commended the chain for using natural and fresh ingredients and for looking after the interests of employees regarding pay and benefits. An In-N-Out food truck catered ''
Vanity Fair''s 2012 Academy Awards after party.
Art

Jack Schmidt was the first person commissioned to paint the original In-N-Out located in Baldwin Park, California for In-N-Out Burger Inc.
His paintings were later reproduced on advertisements, shirts, and other consumer products.
The 2022 shirt design was created by Palm Springs, California artist Danny Heller.
Bible verses

In-N-Out prints
Bible citations in small print on areas of packaging (such as "
John 3:16", "
Proverbs 3:5", "
Proverbs 24:16", "
Nahum 1:7", "
Luke 6:35" and "
Revelation 3:20"). They are primarily found on the bottom underside of drink cups and the wrappers that hold their burgers together. This practice began in the 1980s during Rich Snyder's presidency,
a reflection of the
evangelical Christian beliefs held by the Snyder family.
Legal and policy issues
Rich Boyd lawsuit (2006)
In 2006, a lawsuit exposed a possible family disagreement over the chain's corporate leadership. Richard Boyd, one of In-N-Out's vice presidents and co-trustee of two-thirds of the company stock, accused Lynsi Snyder (then known as Lynsi Martinez) and allied corporate executives of trying to force out Esther Snyder and attempting to fire Boyd unreasonably. Pre-empting the suit, Martinez, Snyder, and Taylor appeared in a December video message to employees, telling them not to believe everything they hear.
The company then responded with a lawsuit of its own, alleging Boyd had construction work done on his personal property and charged it to the company, as well as favoring contractors with uncompetitive bids.
Boyd was then suspended from his role as co-trustee and Northern Trust Bank of California took his place (as co-trustee) until a hearing set for May 10, 2006. However, in April, the judge dismissed two of In-N-Out's claims against Boyd. A trial date of October 17, 2006, was set but never occurred, and a settlement was reached out of court. Ultimately, Boyd was permanently removed from his role as an employee and co-trustee.
Chadder's infringement lawsuit (2007)
In June 2007, the company filed a lawsuit against an
American Fork, Utah, restaurant named Chadder's for trademark infringement, claiming that the "look and feel" of the restaurant too closely resembled that of In-N-Out, and that the restaurant violated
trademarked menu items, such as "Animal Style", "Protein Style", "Double-Double".
The company learned about this from Utah customers contacting the customer service department asking if In-N-Out opened a location in Utah under a different name or if they had any affiliation with the restaurant in any way. Several customers stated they ordered trademarked items such as Animal and Protein styles. Utah District Court Judge Ted Stewart issued a temporary restraining order against the look-alike. Chadder's opened another location near the Salt Lake City area and one in
Provo.
In 2009, In-N-Out opened a restaurant in American Fork less than a mile from the Chadder's restaurant.
Per their website, Chadder's started selling a "Stubby Double" instead of "Double Double".
The Chadder's restaurants in Utah have gone out of business since In-N-Out restaurants have opened in Utah.
Mexico
In 2023, a knock-off of In-N-Out appeared on Instagram displaying images of its restaurant, named In-I-Nout, in Culiacan, Mexico. Besides the name, the restaurant's logo, design, menu, and food presentation closely resembled that of the U.S. original. Threatened with legal action, the Mexican imitator changed its name to Sofi's Burger.
Australia
In-N-Out Burger has also been plagued by similarly named imitators in Australia that confuse consumers into thinking that the similarly-sounding Australian businesses is associated with the Californian-based chain. The company would take the imitators to court for trademark infringement
and has opened one-day pop-ups in
Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
in 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2022;
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
in 2020;
Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
in 2014 and 2018; and
Perth
Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
in 2018 and 2022 to preserve their trademark rights. Customers may wait for several hours before the doors open but the food would run out very quickly, sometimes in less than hour after opening. Although In-N-Out may not have plans to open a permanent location outside its current operating region, the business strategy of having one-day pop-ups is to maintain a business presence in the country under Australian trademark law without opening a permanent restaurant.
In-N-Out successfully defended their trademarks and intellectual property rights in Australia in 2020 against Hashtag Burgers Pty Ltd, formerly doing business as "Funk N Burgers" and "Down-N-Out Burger". In 2021, In-N-Out filed a lawsuit against Queensland-based Rich Asians Pty Ltd doing business as "In & Out Aussie Burgers".
It also appears that In-N-Out has used this practice in other countries as well,
such as in
Auckland
Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
in 2020;
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
in 2016 and in 2018;
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
in 2014
and 2021;
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
in 2012 and 2019;
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
in 2012;
Shanghai
Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...
in 2017;
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
in 2018;
Hong Kong
Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
in 2015;
Taipei
, nickname = The City of Azaleas
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country ...
in 2016;
Vancouver
Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
in 2019;
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
in 2016;
Seoul
Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
in 2019;
Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
in 2022;
Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
in 2021;
Dubai
Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...
in 2021;
Petaling Jaya
Petaling Jaya (), colloquially referred to as "PJ", is a city in Petaling District, in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. Originally developed as a Satellite city, satellite township for Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, it is part of the G ...
in 2018;
Cape Town
Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...
in 2016;
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
in 2017.
DoorDash lawsuit (2015)
On November 6, 2015, In-N-Out filed a lawsuit against food delivery startup
DoorDash, claiming
trademark infringement. Two months later the lawsuit was settled out of court in a confidential settlement. DoorDash no longer delivers food from In-N-Out Burger.
Political donations (2018)
In 2018, In-N-Out faced calls for boycott after donating $25,000 to the California GOP ahead of the November elections, as well as $30,000 in August 2017 and another $30,000 in May 2016.
Opposition to COVID-19 vaccine requirements (2021)
In October 2021, the In-N-Out location in San Francisco was ordered closed by the
San Francisco Department of Public Health
The San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), previously called as the San Francisco Health Department, is the public health department of the city of San Francisco, California in the US. It has two main divisions: The San Francisco Heal ...
(SFDPH), for failure to enforce the public health order requiring that all dine-in patrons of restaurants present
proof that they are fully
vaccinated
A vaccine is a biological Dosage form, preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease, infectious or cancer, malignant disease. The safety and effectiveness of vaccines has been widely studied and verifi ...
for
Coronavirus disease 2019
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include f ...
(COVID-19). The location had posted signage warning of the mandate, but the SFDPH received complaints that it was not actually enforced. The company's chief legal officer Arnie Wensinger stated that the company "fiercely disagree
with any government dictate that forces a private company to discriminate against customers who choose to patronize their business."
The location was allowed to re-open for takeout service only until it demonstrates "an adequate process and procedure for complying with the health order".
Later that month, after an In-N-Out location in
Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County (; ''Contra Costa'', Spanish language, Spanish for 'Opposite Coast') is a U.S. county, county located in the U.S. state of California, in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the ...
was similarly ordered closed by public health for not complying with its vaccine mandate, all In-N-Out locations in the region closed their dining rooms and began operating with takeout service only. The locations attracted anti-mandate demonstrations in support of the company.
Opposition to use of face masks by employees (2023)
In July 2023, the company announced that employees in Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas and Colorado would not be allowed to wear protective face masks at work, unless they could prove a valid medical exemption. The stated reason was to "emphasize the importance of customer service and the ability to show our associates' smiles and other facial features," according to a company memo. The company's communications department sent a statement from chief operating officer Denny Warnick to
SFGATE: "We believe that wearing a mask literally adds a barrier to communication — much of which is nonverbal — and promotes a more distant and disconnected environment."
Charity
In-N-Out Burgers Foundation
In-N-Out Burgers Foundation (known from March 13–April 14 1995 as The In-N-Out Foundation) is a
501(c)(3)
A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, Trust (business), trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of ...
nonprofit organization founded on March 13, 1995, and classified as a "Human Services: Fund Raising & Fund Distribution" organization under the
NTEE system. Based in
Irvine, California
Irvine () is a Planned community, planned city in central Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It was named in 1888 for the landowner James Irvine. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the ...
, the foundation "supports organizations that provide residential treatment, emergency shelter, foster care, and early intervention for children in need". Its grant-making activities are restricted to eligible nonprofit groups that are located or provide services in areas where In-N-Out has a presence. Consequently, grant proposals are only accepted from applicants in a limited number of counties in Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Texas.
In 2010, the most recent year for which financial reporting is publicly available (and before the opening of the company's Texas locations), the foundation contributed $1,545,250 to 231 grantees in Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah. Grant-making is funded through donor contributions and In-N-Out-sponsored fundraisers; typical grants are between $2,000 and $20,000.
Slave 2 Nothing
In-N-Out Burger founded the Slave 2 Nothing Foundation in 2016 to "improve the lives of individuals and families affected by substance abuse and/or human trafficking".
Original restaurant
The first In-N-Out restaurant that opened in 1948 was demolished when
Interstate 10 (then
US 60/
US 70/
US 99, the Ramona Freeway, now the San Bernardino Freeway) was built from downtown Los Angeles to the
San Gabriel Valley. The freeway runs over the original location. A new restaurant was completed in 1954 near the original Baldwin Park, California, location. It was closed in November 2004 and demolished on April 16, 2011, despite discussions about using it as an In-N-Out museum chronicling the origins and history of the company. In-N-Out built a replacement restaurant on the other side of the freeway next to the original In-N-Out University (opened in 1984). A new In-N-Out University was built on the property. The university building houses the training department, which was moved from Irvine, California. In addition, the company restaurant was moved from In-N-Out's Baldwin Park headquarters to the new lot, which holds the restaurant and university, less than a thousand feet away. In 2014, a replica of the first In-N-Out was built in Baldwin Park.
Awards and honors
In-N-Out Burger was ranked number 28 among America's Best Employers 2019 by ''
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
''. According to a survey by
Glassdoor in 2014, In-N-Out Burger ranked No. 8 on its annual list of the 50 best places to work in the U.S. and the U.K. The company reached No. 6 in Glassdoor's 2024 Top 100 Ranking.
Locations
See also
*
Burger wars
*
Fast food
Fast food is a type of Mass production, mass-produced food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service. ''Fast food'' is a commercial term, limited to food sold in a restaurant or store with frozen, preheat ...
*
List of hamburger restaurants
*
List of restaurant chains in the United States
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
*
In-N-Out Burgeron
Instagram
Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
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