Few brands have the loyal following of In-N-Out Burger. If you live outside of California, it’s hard to really understand just how beIoved the brand is among its fans. If you live in California, it’s just a part of the experience. Until you leave, that is.
Most of that love comes from the fact that, as far as fast food goes, In-N-Out is about as good as it gets. Of course, a lot of its appeal also comes from the fact that the company’s 385 locations are located almost entirely in California and its neighboring states.
If, however, you live any further east of the Rockies, you’ve been out of luck. If that’s you, your only opportunity has been to find one when you travel west. Well, until now.
Last week, the company announced that it would be opening a corporate hub in Franklin, Tennessee, which will allow it to expand further east. In-N-Out also says it will be opening its first stores in the Nashville area by 2026.
If you’re a fan of animal-style fries, you understand that this is a big deal. It’s also a huge risk for the company and its brand. Here’s why:
This is a company that is fiercely opposed to change. It hasn’t added a menu item since 2018 (hot chocolate). It still sells just burgers, fries, soft drinks, and milkshakes. As a result, the restaurant is known for both fresh, great-tasting food and incredible customer service. I can think of only one other restaurant where you can get in a drive-thru line 30 cars deep and still have hot food in just a few minutes, and that one isn’t open on Sundays.
There is clearly a lot of demand for new locations. That seems like an argument for expanding to new states, but it’s also why the move is risky.
You see, over the past 75 years, In-N-Out has jeaIously guarded its brand. A big part of that has meant recognizing that fast growth isn’t everything if it means compromising quality. After all, quality is its brand.
In-N-Out only uses fresh, never-frozen ingredients–including its beef. That makes its burgers and fries taste better, but it also means the restaurant is limited in the areas it can serve.
The company also doesn’t franchise its locations. That has allowed it to maintain far more control over the level of service its restaurants provide, but has also meant it kept things close to home.
“You put us in every state and it takes away some of its luster,” said In-N-Out president Lynsi Snyder in a 2018 interview. She was right. Part of the reason the company’s burgers have such a loyal following is because they’re hard to get–especially if you live east of the Rocky Mountains.
It takes a lot of courage–if you think about it–to resist the temptation to grow at all costs. The thing is, most companies don’t consider that those costs are real, even if they aren’t immediately obvious. If the quaIity of your product gets worse the more customers you serve, you’re doing it wrong.
If, suddenly, there are In-N-Out Burger locations everywhere, it’s not as special. If you’re used to swinging by the Sepulvida location when you land at Los Angeles International Airport, and eating a Double-Double while watching planes land, it’s not quite as special an experience if you can get one on your way home from work.
On the other hand, there is value in meeting your customers where they are. In-N-Out is a restaurant, after all, not an amusement park. Sure, people look forward to eating there when they travel, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room to grow–even if that means cautiously.
“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 wonderfuI communities in The Volunteer State,” said Synder in a statement. That’s an important acknowledgment–the part about customers being the company’s most important asset.
The interesting lesson here is that there is a balance between exclusivity and meeting your customers where they are. For a variety of reasons, In-N-Out has erred on the side of sticking close to home, even if that means it can’t serve all of its customers. That’s been a winning strategy so far, and I don’t think that will change just because it’s sIowly starting to open more locations farther east.
I Got into a Car Accident — Then I Overheard My Future MIL Urging My Fiancé to Dump Me
I always believed life had a strange way of testing us, pushing our limits, and revealing who truly stands by our side when the storm hits. I just never thought that test would come through my future mother-in-law.
That belief was put to the ultimate test several months ago when a tragic car accident left me with injuries so severe that the doctors were pessimistic about my full recovery.
A young woman in a wheelchair drinking coffee while staring out the window in thought. For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
They cautioned that even with extensive rehabilitation, I’d likely have a permanent limp, and for a time, I needed a wheelchair. Throughout this ordeal, my fiancé, Ethan, was an unwavering pillar of support. We even said to each other, “Nothing’s stopping our wedding, not even this.”
As our wedding approached, I found solace in the pages of my favorite books, seeking refuge from the harsh realities of physical therapy and doctor’s appointments. One evening, while I was lost in a novel, Ethan was in the lounge with his mother.
A young woman in a wheelchair reading. For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
I was thankful when his mother offered her help the previous night, which I thought she had come over to do. But oh, was I ever so wrong!
Their voices, usually clear and distinct, were now hushed to whispering tones. Curiosity piqued, I listened, unprepared for the chilling words that flowed from my future mother-in-law’s lips.
A woman talking to her son and daughter. For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Son, you have to leave her otherwise…” She stopped mid-sentence before changing course, “Honey, you are so young and so handsome. Just imagine what a burden she will be for you!”
Frozen, my heart hammering in my chest as I waited for Ethan to defend our love, to speak up about how this wheelchair was only temporary. But silence followed. His silence was a gaping void that swallowed my hope whole.
A sad woman. For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Distraught, I wheeled myself to our bedroom, tears blurring my vision. I was hurt and confused, a storm that couldn’t find its calm. When Ethan entered, his face crumpled in worry at the sight of me crying.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice laced with genuine concern.
“You can leave me,” I managed between sobs. “I’d understand that.”
A woman crying into a pillow. For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Ethan’s confusion was palpable. “What? Why on earth should I leave you? You are the love of my life!”
“But why didn’t you say that to your mom? I heard everything!”
He rushed to my side, taking my hands in his. “Oh dear. I’m so sorry you heard that. But my reaction wasn’t at all what you thought. After hearing her words, a perfect plan came to my mind to teach my mom a lesson. I stayed silent because I needed her to think I might actually consider it. This was all part of my plan to show her how wrong she is about us, and about you.”
A man comforts his fiancée. For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Skeptical yet intrigued, I listened as Ethan unveiled his plan. “Let’s pretend we’re breaking up because of the injury. We’ll even stage a dramatic scene at our upcoming engagement party where I ‘decide’ I can’t handle the pressure. But here’s the twist—right after we pretend to break up, we’ll reveal the truth to everyone about how unsupportive and cruel my mom has been, exposing her in front of our friends and family.”
It was bold, risky, and fueled by the sting of betrayal. I was hurt enough to agree.
Couple hatching a plan. For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
The engagement party was a scene straight out of a drama. Under the twinkling lights and the watchful eyes of our friends and family, Ethan and I enacted our plan.
His performance was convincing, his feigned frustration bubbling over as he declared he couldn’t do this anymore. The room fell into a stunned silence, the air thick with shock and disbelief.
Then, the moment of truth arrived.
A visibly shocked reaction from one of the guests at the party. For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Standing (with some difficulty) I addressed the gathered crowd. “This was a test,” I began, my voice steady despite the pounding of my heart. “A test to show the true colors of someone who claimed to love me unconditionally.”
Ethan joined in, explaining our ruse and calling out his mother’s earlier words and lack of support. The impact was immediate.
My mother-in-law, caught in her own cruel game, was mortified. She stuttered apologies, her façade of politeness crumbling before everyone. The crowd’s reaction was mixed; some were shocked, others whispered among themselves, but the message was clear: no one would look at her the same way again.
A mortified woman staring out a window. For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
From that day on, she was much more cautious around us, her words measured, her actions careful. Ethan and I grew stronger, our bond fortified by the ordeal. We learned the hard truth about the challenges we faced, not just from life’s unpredictable twists but from those we least expected.
As I continued to heal, both physically and emotionally, I realized that this test, harsh as it was, taught us about the depth of our resilience and the unyielding strength of love.
A happy couple on the beach. For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
In the end, life’s trials did indeed reveal who stood by me — not just the man I loved, but the strength I harbored within myself. Wheels and all, I was ready to face whatever came our way, with Ethan truly by my side.
Those you love and choose to build a family with don’t always stand by you when it matters, and even that can be a lesson, as another woman found out when her future MIL turned her life upside down and used food to do it.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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