In-N-Out CEO Teases Expansion Into Three New States While Guarding Quality
In-N-Out Burger CEO Lynsi Snyder has pointed to Arkansas, Mississippi, and Oklahoma as three states that might welcome In-N-Out restaurants in the years to come. Speaking in an interview with television host Terry Crews, Snyder spoke about the company’s hesitancy to grow too much or too quickly, noting that quality matters more than quantity when it comes to In-N-Out restaurants.
The regional burger chain, which launched California’s first drive-thru hamburger stand in Baldwin Park in 1948 by co-founders Harry and Esther Snyder, currently maintains 299 locations in its home state. Snyder told Crews that quality matters more than quantity, emphasizing a desire to protect the company’s internal culture and customer standards.
“I just want to make sure that everything is right and that our In-N-Out family is strong, and we’re retaining all those values,” Snyder said, touting the chain’s cleanliness, quality and friendly service. “If I ever felt like we were slipping or losing our way, growth would look a lot different,” she added.
The Logistics Behind the Slow Rollout
All ingredients are delivered fresh to each restaurant, with burgers made from fresh beef in the chain’s patty-making facilities in California and Texas. The company says on its website that it doesn’t even own a microwave or freezer.
Recent years have nonetheless seen a steady push outward. Washington state welcomed its first In-N-Out restaurant in August 2025. That followed an expansion into Tennessee, opening the state’s first location on Dec. 10. This move marked the company’s easternmost presence to date, according to the website. Five stores currently operate in Tennessee, with the website listing a sixth location as coming soon. Meanwhile, New Mexico will get its first In-N-Out restaurant in 2027 and become the chain’s 11th state.
Despite these additions, Snyder maintains that the brand’s core identity remains rooted in the West Coast. “This is where we started, it’s where we are now and it’s where we’ll always be,” she said, addressing the 299 locations in California.
While Arkansas, Mississippi, and Oklahoma are possibilities for future expansion, no firm construction dates or official opening schedules have been released for those three states. For now, the executive team appears content with a deliberate pace. As Snyder put it during the interview, “I feel like there’s a special peace knowing that In-N-Out isn’t everywhere.”
