In-N-Out Burger Owner Teases Chain's Move Into South
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Lynsi Snyder, heiress and president of In-N-Out Burger, has announced she's relocating from California to Tennessee, while teasing the burger chain's expansion plans into the American South.
"It will be wonderful having an office out there," Snyder said during her recent appearance on the Relatable podcast, as reported by MSN. "Growing out there, and being able to have the family (and other people's families) out there."
Newsweek contacted the company via online form on Sunday for comment.
Why It Matters
In-N-Out has long been a cultural staple of the West Coast, especially California, where it was founded in 1948.
Snyder's move signals a possible geographic and strategic shift in the family-run company's leadership and long-term focus.
With new headquarters being built in Franklin, Tennessee, this could mark a turning point for the brand's identity, reach, and direction.
It may also reflect broader frustrations among business owners about California's regulatory and economic environment.
The In-N-Out Burger logo is displayed outside of one of their restaurants on March 14, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The In-N-Out Burger logo is displayed outside of one of their restaurants on March 14, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.What to Know
As previously reported by Newsweek, the company has said it is opening the new headquarters in Franklin to manage its eastern U.S. operations and plans to open 35 restaurants in the state in the coming years.
The location will include one on-site restaurant on Goose Creek Bypass near Interstate 65, The Tennessean reports, and at least six other In-N-Out restaurants that have been identified as potential locations in Middle Tennessee.
In-N-Out restaurant construction generally takes around nine months from start to finish, In-N-Out Vice President of Store Development Mike Abbate has said, as per The Tennessean.
According to a previous news release by the company, 500 people are currently employed at the Irvine office, and some of them may relocate to Tennessee, while others will move to the Baldwin Park office in California.
Snyder stated she will be leading the company from Tennessee once the new Franklin office opens in 2026. While the headquarters in Baldwin Park remains operational, the Irvine office will be phased out by 2030.
"We're building an office in Franklin, so I'm actually moving out there," the billionaire said during Friday's episode of the Relatable podcast with Allie Beth Stuckey, according to Fox 11 via Fox Business.
"There's a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here. Doing business is not easy here now," Snyder said.
Although In-N-Out may be looking to expand its footprint across the South, Snyder made clear there are no immediate plans to bring the chain to Florida and the East Coast.
"Florida has begged us, and we're still saying no. The East Coast states, we're saying no. We are able to reach Tennessee from our Texas warehouse. Texas can reach some other states." Snyder said, per Fox Business.
The relocation is also personal. Snyder cited difficulties raising her children and doing business in California, mentioning past pandemic restrictions and public safety concerns.
Despite the move, she insisted that most of the company's 400-plus locations will remain in the West, with growth focused on maintaining quality rather than rapid coast-to-coast expansion.
What People Are Saying
As previously reported by Newsweek, Snyder said the move to Tennessee: "brings our In-N-Out family back together in a way that helps us better serve our customers."
What Happens Next
Construction on the new Tennessee headquarters is underway and expected to finish in 2026. Snyder will begin overseeing operations from there, while the company continues opening new locations across southern states.
The relocation strategy aims to balance growth with the company's commitment to quality and brand identity.
While In‑N‑Out's core remains tied to the West, the road ahead appears to lead south—and possibly, in time, beyond.
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USA Today
7 hours ago
- USA Today
In-N-Out CEO airs California grievances, talks Tennessee expansion in podcast appearance
In-N-Out CEO Lynsi Snyder had harsh words for the state where her parents built a burger empire. In an appearance on the "Relatable" podcast, Snyder aired grievances with California while saying she will be moving her family to Tennessee with the opening of the company's second headquarters. "There's a lot of great things about California," Snyder said. "But raising a family is not easy here. Doing business is not easy here." Snyder also groused about the state's implementation of rules surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw state health officials shut down two restaurants in 2021 for not checking vaccine status. "You've got to do this," Snyder said of the vaccine mandate for indoor dining. "You have to have this plastic thing between us and our customers. It was really terrible, you know? And I look back, I'm like, we should have pushed even harder on that stuff. We're not policing our customers." In-N-Out adding Tennessee HQ but not leaving California In-N-Out announced in February that many of its California corporate employees will move from Irvine in Orange County to an office in the Los Angeles-area city of Baldwin Park, where the company was founded in 1948. The company had been in the Irvine office since 1994. The move to the Baldwin Park office, about 40 miles northwest of the Irvine offices and one mile from the first restaurant opened by Harry and Esther Snyder, is expected to be complete by the end of 2029. The company said that after the Irvine office's closure, corporate employees will be stationed either at the Baldwin Park office or at the Tennessee office. The Nashville-area office is on track to open in 2026, the company said at the time. Snyder downplays East Coast expansion Snyder tamped down on the possibility of a further East Coast expansion, pointing to logistical difficulties. "We're able to reach Tennessee from our Texas warehouse. We'll have a warehouse, but not do our own meat there, so we'll be able to deliver from Texas," Snyder said. The company operates 281 of its 418 locations in California but has steadily expanded in recent years. Snyder added that the bulk of the company's stores will be in California. "Florida has begged us, and we're still saying no," Snyder said. "The East Coast states, we're still saying no." USA TODAY reached out to In-N-Out for comment and did not receive a response as of Monday evening.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
In-N-Out heiress announces she's leaving California
In-N-Out Burger heiress and CEO Lynsi Snyder is relocating her family from California to Tennessee, a state where the beloved fast-food chain is embarking on a major expansion that could soon include other states. 'There's a lot of really great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here. Doing business is not easy here,' Snyder, 43, recently told Allie Beth Stuckey during an interview on the faith-focused podcast 'Relatable.' 'The bulk of our stores are still going to be here in California, but it will be wonderful having an office [in Tennessee] — growing out there,' she said. Snyder, a mother of four, didn't share many specifics about her decision, only alluding to friction with California's political climate. She referenced a period in 2021 when two Bay Area In-N-Out locations were forced to temporarily close for refusing to check the vaccination status of indoor diners. 'When I look back, and I'm like, man, maybe we should have just pushed even harder on some of that stuff and dealt with all the legal backlash,' she said. 'That was definitely where we held the line – we're not policing our customers.' In-N-Out CEO Lynsi Snyder says her company remains a family despite 'betrayal' from colleagues Lynsi is the granddaughter of Harry and Esther Snyder, who founded In-N-Out as a tiny burger stand in Baldwin Park, a Los Angeles suburb, in 1948. The company slowly added California locations over the decades until 1992, when it opened its first out-of-state restaurant in Las Vegas. Today, In-N-Out has more than 280 restaurants in eight states: California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oregon and Idaho. The privately owned chain's expansion into Tennessee was announced in early 2023. According to Snyder, it's only possible because trucks from the company's meat processing facility in Texas can reach the Volunteer State with fresh, not frozen, ground beef. In-N-Out is reportedly planning 35 locations in Tennessee, in addition to a new regional headquarters in Franklin. They're expected to begin opening next year. Further expansion in the southern U.S. is likely, she said, without revealing specifics. 'We're able to reach Tennessee from our Texas warehouse,' Snyder said. 'Texas can reach some other states, you know?' While diners in nine states will soon be able to enjoy In-N-Out's famous Double-Doubles, milkshakes and French fries cooked in sunflower oil, those clamoring for In-N-Out to expand coast-to-coast will be disappointed by these remarks: 'Florida has begged us and we're still saying no,' Snyder said. 'The East Coast states — we're still saying no.' Snyder also announced the company's corporate office in Irvine will close by 2030, with all operations shifting back to the company's roots at a home office in Baldwin Park. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
10 hours ago
- Forbes
3 Key Tax Benefits For In-N-Out's Headquarters Move To Tennessee
Los Angeles, CA, USA - May 2, 2022: Exterior of an IN-N-OUT BURGER restaurant on Sunset Boulevard in ... More Los Angeles, CA. In a stunning announcement, In-N-Out CEO Lynsi Snyder is relocating the California-based burger chain to Tennessee. This move follows fellow fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken in relocating its headquarters from its hallmark or foundational location to a more business-friendly state. According to Fortune, Snyder broadly references the business environment that In-N-Out faced in California as tricky to navigate. On the flip side, Forbes ranks Tennessee as the 7th most business-friendly state in the U.S. Despite no mention of taxes in Snyder's interview, she and her company stand to benefit financially from relocating to a more tax-advantaged location. This article highlights three key tax benefits of In-N-Out's headquarters move to Tennessee. (1) Corporate Income Taxes In 2025, the Tax Foundation shows that California taxes corporations among the highest in all fifty states, with a tax rate of 8.84%. Meanwhile, Tennessee levies a much more moderate 6.5% tax rate on corporations. While the individual locations will continue to accrue revenues and pay taxes in their respective locations (i.e., In-N-Out locations in California will still pay California corporate income taxes), profits can often be funneled toward the corporate entity via operational strategic shifts (such as cost-sharing arrangements or transfer pricing). Thus, it is likely that In-N-Out will be able to benefit from paying nearly 2% less in taxes at the corporate level. (2) Individual Income Taxes Perhaps even more prominent in the mind of Snyder and her family-run business is the significantly lower individual income tax rates that she will face. In fact, it cannot get more extreme of a drop off than facing California's 13.3% individual income tax rate (highest in the U.S.) to Tennessee, which is one of nine states that does not levy an individual income tax. With Snyder posting an estimated $7.3 billion net worth, according to Forbes, it can be reasonably expected that she is pulling in tens of millions of dollars annually. Going from having to pay 13.3% of this income to California to 0% to Tennessee likely reflects millions of dollars saved each year in tax payments. However, the individual income tax benefits extend beyond those of Snyder. Corporate headquarters typically houses many members of the executive branch, as well as numerous high-ranking employees within the company. If these employees collectively have a lower tax burden due to not paying income taxes in Tennessee, then many important members of the company will stand to gain significant tax benefits. (3) Investor-Level Taxes In addition to the difference in individual income tax rates, California and Tennessee both offer the same state tax rates on investor level taxes, such as capital gains tax and dividends tax. Capital gains tax arises from income earned from investing, not unlike the ownership of a fast-food chain like In-N-Out. As the initial basis of the In-N-Out shares is likely significantly smaller than what they are worth today, Snyder is sitting on a massive potential tax bill if and when she disposes of the shares. F As of now, Snyder has not indicated an interest in selling any part of her ownership stake in In-N-Out. However, Snyder reportedly owns 97% of the company, according to Entrepreneur. Thus, many shares can be parted with while still maintaining significant control over the company. If Snyder were to do this while being a California resident, she would owe 20% in Federal capital gains taxes plus the 13.3% California capital gains tax. For instance, if she sold enough to generate a $10,000,000 profit, her total capital gains tax bill would be $3,330,000. Meanwhile, if she had the same transaction but as a Tennessee resident, then her tax bill would be 40% less due to not having to pay state-level capital gains taxes. Even beyond the selling of ownership, In-N-Out potentially compensates Snyder by issuing her dividends. When this happens in Tennessee, Snyder will not pay any additional tax liabilities in the state, as Tennessee does not levy a dividend tax. Meanwhile, California's dividend tax rate is the same as its individual income tax rate (13.3%). Some of the potential tax benefits highlighted above face the important caveat that In-N-Out is a privately held company. Consequently, the company does not disclose its financial statements publicly, providing the general public with limited tax insights into their potential tax benefits from moving from California to Tennessee. For example, it is unknown exactly how profitable In-N-Out is each year. Another example is that In-N-Out does not disclose how much it pays to it's executives or how much dividends it issues each year. Furthermore, Snyder has not expressed any intention of selling ownership interest in the company. However, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos made a similar move to Florida without announcing intentions of selling shares in his company. As reported by The Guardian, the subsequent sale of his shares while being a Florida resident saved him $600 million in capital gains taxes. Lastly, it is important to highlight that Snyder is not making the most tax-savvy move on the table. In particular, In-N-Out could just as easily follow Kentucky Fried Chicken and relocate its headquarters to Texas, where it already has 43 locations. In doing so, the company would face a 0% corporate income tax rate, rather than the 6.5% rate in Tennessee. Thus, Snyder appears to be betting on both the business-friendliness of Tennessee and the potential for expansion on the East Coast.
