NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In-N-Out CEO Lynsi Snyder is relocating to Tennessee as the burger chain establishes an eastern territory office, signaling potential expansion while maintaining its California roots.
Snyder, who has a net worth of $7.3 billion, explained her decision in a recent "Relatable" podcast appearance.
"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.
The billionaire heiress took over the West Coast chain at 27, following the leadership path of her grandfather, father and uncle. She worked her way through various positions in the company before assuming control.
While the company is building an office in Franklin, Tennessee, Snyder emphasized that "the bulk of our stores are still going to be here in California."
In-N-Out has faced challenges in California, including a temporary shutdown of its San Francisco restaurant when the company refused to check customers' vaccination status during pandemic restrictions.
"There were so many pressures and hoops we were having to jump through. It was really terrible," Snyder said.
The company also raised prices last year to comply with California's fast food minimum wage rules while maintaining quality.
Despite the move, Snyder remains committed to In-N-Out's California heritage. She plans to fulfill her late father's vision by consolidating the company's Irvine and Baldwin Park offices at the latter location (the site of In-N-Out's first restaurant in 1948) within the next five years.
"My dad felt Irvine was not the 'roots' of In-N-Out," Snyder explained. "He wanted to move everyone back to Baldwin Park... but he died a handful of years later, so he never got to bring everyone back here. My vision for a long time has been to have these two offices under one roof."
While the Tennessee move signals growth, In-N-Out's expansion strategy remains deliberately measured. The chain now operates 43 stores in Texas and 13 in Colorado, but Snyder makes it clear that coast-to-coast expansion isn't in the immediate future.
"Florida has begged us and we're still saying no, the East Coast states we're still saying no," Snyder said. However, she hinted at strategic growth from their Texas base: "We're able to reach Tennessee from our Texas warehouse... Texas can reach some other states."
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