First there was Whataburger, soon there will be Raising Cane's...could In-N-Out Burger be next? In a surprise move, In-N-Out, which in all its existence has never expanded further east than Texas, announced plans to enter the Nashville area by 2026! The company plans to establish an "Eastern territory" office in the Nashville suburb of Franklin. The company did not reveal how many locations it plans to open, but an "eastern territory" definitely suggests more than just the Nashville/Tennessee area.
“In every decision I make, I always consider what my family would want. I have no doubt that my grandparents, dad and uncle would be proud of this decision to grow our Associate family and serve even more amazing Customers beginning in Nashville and the surrounding areas.” said Snyder in a prepared statement.
San Antonio, Texas-based Whataburger got its start in Corpus Christi, TX in 1950 and opened their first Tennessee location last January in the Nashville suburb or Hermitage. Five locations are now open in the Nashville area with another two in Memphis. While the vast majority of Whataburger's more than 900 locations are in Texas, the company has a presence in a total of fourteen states.
This past November, Whataburger opened the first of several planned Atlanta area locations in Kennesaw with a second slated to open soon in Woodstock.
“For many years, we’ve heard requests from our Customers in Tennessee to consider opening locations near them, further east than we’ve ever been. 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 wonderful communities in The Volunteer State.” Snyder added.
In our Whataburger reporting, ToNeTo Atlanta readers have voiced interest in having In-N-Out open locally, too, which may now be a real possibility.
In-N-Out Burger will celebrate its 75th anniversary this October. Unlike many in the industry, In-N-Out hamburgers are still made to order, hand-cut french fries are still made from fresh whole potatoes and shakes are still made with real ice cream. The chain's hamburger patties are made from 100% American beef and whole chucks are boned and ground by In-N-Out's own butchers. It is this strict adherence to product quality that has made expansion a slow, methodical effort for the company. Proper infrastructure must be established first to provide the chain the necessary distribution to supply its upcoming restaurants.
Have you ever been to In-N-Out Burger? What is your your favorite quick serve burger joint? If In-N-Out Burger does come to metro Atlanta, where would you like to see them open? (If you have an exact location, leave it in the comments.)
Please share your thoughts below.