Dive Brief:
- In-N-Out Burger will open its first three locations in the greater Nashville,Tennessee, area this week, the company said in an announcement. Restaurants in Lebanon and Antioch will open Wednesday, with a third location to open on Friday in Murfreesboro.
- Each location will employ about 75 team members with starting hourly wages of $17.50. The restaurants will offer one drive-thru lane, dining room seating for 74 and a covered patio with outdoor seating for 30 guests.
- These openings are ahead of schedule, as the chain originally anticipated it would begin opening restaurants in Tennessee in 2026.
Dive Insight:
The Tennessee openings mark a new era for In-N-Out, which has largely grown across the West Coast. It has locations in California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado, Idaho and Washington. The fast food chain is also planning to expand into New Mexico for the first time in 2027.
The burger brand is so invested in its expansion East of the Mississippi that it is opening an office in Franklin, Tennessee, to support this growth. CEO Lynsi Snyder said earlier this year she is planning to move to the Volunteer State, as well. In-N-Out will maintain its headquarters in California, which is moving from Irvine to Baldwin Park in 2029.
The company plans to open 35 restaurants in Tennessee over time, according to CNBC, making Tennessee one of its larger markets outside of California. Texas and Arizona have about 40 units each in their states, according to the company’s website. There are nearly 300 units in California.
