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.
Suri Cruise’s Recent Appearance Leaves People Worried — Everyone’s Asking One Thing
Suri, the 18-year-old daughter of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, has reached a significant milestone as she’s off to college. However, recent photos have swept the internet, revealing a vulnerable moment where she was seen breaking down in tears.
Suri was caught on camera experiencing a tearful and agitated episode in Brooklyn, New York. Photos revealed the teenager visibly upset during a phone conversation, shedding tears as she walked through the city streets.
At one point, she was seen with her head in her hand, crying into her phone. Even after the call ended, she continued wiping away tears.
The footage sparked concern online, with everyone asking the same question: “What happened?”
Despite the emotional moment, Cruise is on the brink of an exciting year. In a now-deleted clip from a fellow student’s online profile, Suri was seen wearing a Carnegie Mellon hoodie. While it hasn’t been confirmed, there is speculation that she may be considering a future in fashion or acting.
In a recent interview, her mother disclosed that she’s been engaging in various creative activities—such as joining a book club, taking dance classes, and painting—to keep herself busy as her daughter gets ready to start college.
Holmes noted, “Of course, I will miss the close proximity, but I’m really proud of her, and I’m happy.”
She continued, ’’I remember being this age, this time of beginnings. It’s exciting to learn about yourself, and I loved that time, so it makes me happy to think about it like that.’’
We’re sending Suri our best wishes as she begins her college adventure, and we look forward to watching her grow into an incredible woman.
No matter what she’s dealing with, she’s bound to come out on top, thanks to the strong and independent upbringing her mother provided.
If you’re interested in learning how Suri Cruise evolved from a highly privileged child into a down-to-earth teen, all thanks to her mom’s influence, don’t miss this article.
Leave a Reply