In-N-Out’s billionaire owner, Lynsi Snyder, is done with California.
Speaking on the “Relatable” podcast released Friday, Snyder said she’s moving to Tennessee as the cult burger chain plans its southeastern expansion and establishes a new headquarters in the suburbs outside Nashville.
“There’s a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here. Doing business is not easy here,” Snyder said.
During the conversation with host Allie Beth Stuckey, Snyder cited COVID-era business restrictions, such as mask mandates and vaccine requirements, as particular elements of California policy that made it difficult to operate in the state.
In 2021, health officials temporarily shut down several In-N-Out locations in California because the chain refused to require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.
Snyder didn’t expand upon her current business challenges or the challenges she’s faced raising her four children in the state.
In-N-Out is consolidating its corporate presence in California, centralizing its West Coast operations out of offices in Baldwin Park, where the chain was founded by Snyder’s grandparents, and phasing out its Irvine headquarters by 2030. Its new Franklin, Tennessee headquarters is set to open in 2026.
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“Now the bulk of our stores are still going to be here in California, but it will be wonderful having an office out there, growing out there, and being able to have the family and other people’s families out there,” Snyder said.
While the chain is planning to expand in the Southeast with its operations in Tennessee, Snyder said she’s “still saying no” to opening locations in Florida and other East Coast states.
In-N-Out has over 400 locations across eight states: California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado, and Idaho. Snyder said that the company will continue to grow, but she’s prioritizing sustainable expansion that maintains the quality of its products and service.
“Number one priority is really keeping the company the same company that my grandparents started,” Snyder said. “We don’t want to be in every state, and we don’t want to ever compromise our values and standards and the cornerstones that my grandparents laid down, so it’s really just keeping those priorities at the forefront when we make decisions.”
Representatives for In-N-Out did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
