History of In-N-Out Burger in Timeline

In-N-Out Burger is a regional American fast-food chain founded in 1948 by Harry and Esther Snyder in Baldwin Park, California. Known for its limited menu of fresh, high-quality burgers, fries, and shakes, In-N-Out has cultivated a loyal following, primarily on the West Coast and Southwest. Headquartered in Irvine, California, the chain has expanded to include locations in several states, including Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, and Oregon. Lynsi Snyder, the Snyders' only grandchild, is the current owner. The company has further expansion plans into states such as New Mexico.

1913: Harry Snyder's Birth

In 1913, Harry Snyder, the co-founder of In-N-Out Burger, was born.

1920: Esther Snyder's Birth

In 1920, Esther Snyder, the co-founder of In-N-Out Burger, was born.

1948: Replica of First Store Unveiled

A replica of the first store from 1948 was unveiled near the original site in 2014.

1948: In-N-Out Burger Founded

In 1948, Harry and Esther Snyder founded In-N-Out Burger in Baldwin Park, California.

1948: First In-N-Out Burger Location Opens

In 1948, the first In-N-Out Burger location opened in Baldwin Park, California. It was California's first drive-thru hamburger stand, featuring a two-way speaker system for placing orders.

1948: The first In-N-Out restaurant opened

In 1948, the first In-N-Out restaurant opened in Baldwin Park. The restaurant was later demolished when Interstate 10 was constructed.

1951: Second In-N-Out Burger Opens

In 1951, a second In-N-Out location opened in Covina, California.

1954: New restaurant opens near original location

In 1954, a new restaurant was completed near the original Baldwin Park, California location.

1965: Classic Cars Featured in Ads

In-N-Out ads and artwork often show classic cars such as 1965 Mustangs visiting the original restaurants.

1968: Classic Cars Featured in Ads

In-N-Out ads and artwork often show classic cars such as 1968 Firebirds visiting the original restaurants.

1976: Harry Snyder's Death

In 1976, Harry Snyder, the co-founder of In-N-Out Burger, passed away.

1976: Rich Snyder Becomes Company President

In 1976, Rich Snyder became the company president after his father, Harry Snyder's death.

1984: In-N-Out University opens

In 1984, the original In-N-Out University opened in Baldwin Park, California.

June 1988: In-N-Out Opens 50th Location

In June 1988, In-N-Out opened its 50th location in Thousand Palms, California.

1990: First Location Outside Los Angeles Opens

In 1990, In-N-Out opened its first location outside of the Los Angeles metropolitan area in San Diego County, the 57th location in the chain.

1992: First Non-Southern California Restaurant Opens

In 1992, In-N-Out expanded outside Southern California by opening its first restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada.

December 15, 1993: Rich Snyder Dies in Plane Crash

On December 15, 1993, Rich Snyder and four other passengers died in a plane crash in Orange County, California.

January 1994: Guy Snyder Assumes Presidency

In January 1994, following the death of his brother Rich, Guy Snyder became the president of In-N-Out Burger.

November 10, 1994: 100th In-N-Out Location Opens

On November 10, 1994, In-N-Out's 100th location opened in Gilroy, California.

March 13, 1995: In-N-Out Burgers Foundation Founded

On March 13, 1995, the In-N-Out Burgers Foundation (originally known as The In-N-Out Foundation from March 13 to April 14, 1995) was founded as a nonprofit organization.

1999: Guy Snyder's Death

In 1999, Guy Snyder passed away due to a drug overdose.

2000: In-N-Out Expands to Arizona

In 2000, In-N-Out expanded its operations into Arizona by opening locations in the state.

November 2004: Closure of restaurant in Baldwin Park, California

In November 2004, the new In-N-Out restaurant built in 1954 near the original Baldwin Park, California location was closed.

2004: Famous 100x100 Incident

In 2004, a famous incident involving a 100×100 burger (100 patties, 100 slices of cheese) occurred, leading to the company limiting order sizes.

2004: New Restaurants Added in Nevada

In late 2004, In-N-Out added new restaurants in Reno, Sparks, and Carson City, Nevada.

December 2005: In-N-Out Opens 200th Location

In late December 2005, In-N-Out opened its 200th location in Temecula, California.

2005: Limit on Burger Orders Implemented

Until 2005, In-N-Out accommodated burger orders of any size, but management disallowed anything larger than a 4x4.

May 10, 2006: Hearing set for lawsuit regarding company stock

On May 10, 2006, a hearing was set regarding a lawsuit where Richard Boyd, In-N-Out's vice president and co-trustee of two-thirds of the company stock, accused Lynsi Snyder and allied corporate executives of trying to force out Esther Snyder and attempting to fire Boyd unreasonably.

October 17, 2006: Trial date set for lawsuit, but never occurs

On October 17, 2006, a trial date was set for the lawsuit between Richard Boyd and In-N-Out but the trial never occurred, and a settlement was reached out of court.

2006: Esther Snyder's Death

In 2006, Esther Snyder, the co-founder of In-N-Out Burger, passed away.

2006: Esther Snyder's Death and Mark Taylor Assumes Presidency

In 2006, following the death of Esther Snyder, Mark Taylor became the president of In-N-Out Burger.

2006: Lathrop, California, distribution center completed

In 2006, the Lathrop, California, distribution center was completed.

June 2007: Lawsuit filed against Chadder's restaurant for trademark infringement

In June 2007, In-N-Out filed a lawsuit against Chadder's, a restaurant in American Fork, Utah, for trademark infringement, claiming the restaurant's "look and feel" and menu items like "Animal Style", "Protein Style", and the "Double-Double" closely resembled those of In-N-Out.

2007: Celebrity Endorsement

In 2007, Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith raved about In-N-Out cheeseburgers during a press conference before the BCS National Championship Game.

2007: In-N-Out Opens First Tucson, Arizona Restaurant

In 2007, In-N-Out opened its first restaurant in Tucson, Arizona. The store opening broke company records for the most burgers sold in one day and the most sold in one week.

2008: Expansion into Utah

In 2008, In-N-Out expanded into a fourth state by opening a location in Washington, Utah, a suburb of St. George.

2009: Expansion into Northern Utah

By late 2009, the chain expanded into northern Utah with three new locations situated in Draper, American Fork, and Orem.

2009: In-N-Out opens restaurant near Chadder's

In 2009, In-N-Out opened a restaurant in American Fork, Utah, less than a mile from Chadder's restaurant, which resulted in Chadder's selling a "Stubby Double" instead of "Double Double" per their website. The Chadder's restaurants in Utah have gone out of business since In-N-Out restaurants have opened in Utah.

May 2010: Plans to Expand into Texas Announced

In May 2010, In-N-Out announced plans to open new locations in Texas, specifically within the Dallas–Fort Worth area.

2010: Lynsi Snyder Becomes President

In 2010, Lynsi Snyder became the sixth president of In-N-Out Burger.

2010: In-N-Out Foundation Grant Contributions

In 2010, the In-N-Out Burger Foundation contributed $1,545,250 to 231 grantees in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah.

2010: More Utah Locations Opened

In the spring of 2010, more In-N-Out locations opened in West Valley City, West Jordan, Centerville, and Riverton, Utah.

April 16, 2011: Demolition of new restaurant

On April 16, 2011, the new In-N-Out restaurant built in 1954 near the original Baldwin Park, California location was demolished despite discussions about using it as an In-N-Out museum. The location closed in November 2004.

May 11, 2011: First Texas In-N-Outs Open

On May 11, 2011, the first In-N-Out locations in Texas opened in Frisco and Allen.

2012: In-N-Out pop-up in Sydney

In 2012, In-N-Out held a one-day pop-up in Sydney to preserve their trademark rights.

2012: Lynsi Snyder Gained Control of 50% of In-N-Out

In 2012, Lynsi Snyder gained control of 50% of the company when she turned 30.

2012: In-N-Out caters Vanity Fair's Academy Awards after party

In 2012, an In-N-Out food truck catered Vanity Fair's Academy Awards after party.

December 2013: First Austin Location Opens

In December 2013, In-N-Out opened its first location in Austin, Texas.

2013: In-N-Out pop-up in Sydney

In 2013, In-N-Out held a one-day pop-up in Sydney to preserve their trademark rights.

2013: Distribution Center Opens in Las Vegas

In 2013, In-N-Out opened a distribution center in Las Vegas to serve mountain area restaurants.

March 2014: First San Antonio Location Confirmed

In March 2014, In-N-Out confirmed its first location in San Antonio.

November 20, 2014: First San Antonio Location Opens

On November 20, 2014, In-N-Out opened its first location in San Antonio, Texas.

2014: Glassdoor Ranks In-N-Out as One of the Best Places to Work

According to a Glassdoor survey in 2014, In-N-Out Burger ranked No. 8 on its annual list of the 50 best places to work in the U.S. and the U.K.

2014: In-N-Out pop-up in Melbourne

In 2014, In-N-Out held a one-day pop-up in Melbourne to preserve their trademark rights.

2014: Replica of First Store Unveiled

In 2014, a replica of the first In-N-Out store from 1948 was unveiled near the original site.

2014: Replica of first In-N-Out built in Baldwin Park

In 2014, a replica of the first In-N-Out was built in Baldwin Park.

January 2015: In-N-Out Opens 300th Restaurant

In January 2015, In-N-Out opened its 300th restaurant in Anaheim, California. At this time, the company generated $558 million in annual sales and employed nearly 18,000 people.

September 9, 2015: First Oregon Location Opens

On September 9, 2015, In-N-Out opened its first location in Oregon, in Medford, on Harry Snyder's birthday.

November 6, 2015: In-N-Out files lawsuit against DoorDash

On November 6, 2015, In-N-Out filed a lawsuit against food delivery startup DoorDash for trademark infringement, which was settled out of court two months later. DoorDash no longer delivers food from In-N-Out Burger.

November 2015: First Waco Location Opens

In November 2015, In-N-Out opened its first location in Waco, Texas.

2015: In-N-Out pop-up in Hong Kong

In 2015, In-N-Out operated a one-day pop-up restaurant in Hong Kong to protect their intellectual property.

May 2016: In-N-Out donates to California GOP

In May 2016, In-N-Out donated $30,000 to the California GOP, leading to calls for a boycott.

2016: Slave 2 Nothing Foundation Founded

In 2016, In-N-Out Burger founded the Slave 2 Nothing Foundation to "improve the lives of individuals and families affected by substance abuse and/or human trafficking".

2016: In-N-Out pop-up in Sydney

In 2016, In-N-Out held a one-day pop-up in Sydney to preserve their trademark rights.

January 2017: Expansion into Houston Announced

In January 2017, In-N-Out announced plans to expand into Houston with multiple sites planned in the area.

May 2017: Lynsi Snyder Gains Nearly Full Control

In May 2017, Lynsi Snyder gained nearly full control of In-N-Out Burger at the age of 35.

August 2017: In-N-Out donates to California GOP

In August 2017, In-N-Out donated $30,000 to the California GOP, leading to calls for a boycott.

September 2017: Second Oregon Location Under Construction

During September 2017, a second In-N-Out location was under construction in Grants Pass, Oregon.

November 30, 2017: Plans to Build Production Facility in Colorado Announced

On November 30, 2017, In-N-Out announced plans to build a production facility and distribution center in Colorado Springs, ahead of an expansion into Colorado.

2017: In-N-Out pop-up in Sydney

In 2017, In-N-Out held a one-day pop-up in Sydney to preserve their trademark rights.

January 2018: Hot Chocolate Added to Menu

In January 2018, In-N-Out added hot chocolate with marshmallows to the menu, the first addition in fifteen years. It was previously served in the 1950s and the cocoa powder is provided by Ghirardelli Chocolate Company.

August 21, 2018: Plans to Open in Keizer, Oregon Announced

On August 21, 2018, In-N-Out announced plans to open a location in the Willamette Valley in Keizer, Oregon. This was to be the company's northernmost location.

2018: In-N-Out Donates to California Republican Party

In 2018, In-N-Out donated $25,000 to the California Republican Party.

2018: Calls for boycott after donating to the California GOP

In 2018, In-N-Out faced calls for boycott after donating $25,000 to the California GOP ahead of the November elections.

2018: In-N-Out pop-up in Melbourne

In 2018, In-N-Out held a one-day pop-up in Melbourne to preserve their trademark rights.

2019: Forbes Ranks In-N-Out Among America's Best Employers

In 2019, Forbes ranked In-N-Out Burger number 28 among America's Best Employers.

2019: In-N-Out pop-up in Sydney

In 2019, In-N-Out held a one-day pop-up in Sydney to preserve their trademark rights.

November 20, 2020: First Colorado Locations Open

On November 20, 2020, the first In-N-Out locations in Colorado opened in Colorado Springs and Aurora.

November 24, 2020: In-N-Out Signals Store Opening in Idaho

On November 24, 2020, In-N-Out signaled that it was in the early stages of opening a store in Idaho.

2020: In-N-Out pop-up in Brisbane

In 2020, In-N-Out held a one-day pop-up in Brisbane to preserve their trademark rights.

2020: In-N-Out defends trademarks in Australia

In 2020, In-N-Out successfully defended their trademarks and intellectual property rights in Australia against Hashtag Burgers Pty Ltd, formerly doing business as "Funk N Burgers" and "Down-N-Out Burger".

2020: Long Wait Times at Colorado Opening

When the first In-N-Out location in Colorado opened in Aurora in 2020, wait times exceeded fourteen hours and local police had to assist with traffic control.

October 2021: San Francisco In-N-Out ordered closed for vaccine mandate non-compliance

In October 2021, the In-N-Out location in San Francisco was ordered closed by the San Francisco Department of Public Health for failing to enforce the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Subsequently another location in Contra Costa County was ordered closed for the same reason and all locations in the region closed their dining rooms and began operating with takeout service only.

2021: In-N-Out Donates to California Republican Party

In 2021, In-N-Out donated $40,000 to the California Republican Party.

2021: In-N-Out files lawsuit against Rich Asians Pty Ltd

In 2021, In-N-Out filed a lawsuit against Queensland-based Rich Asians Pty Ltd doing business as "In & Out Aussie Burgers" for trademark infringement.

2021: In-N-Out pop-up in Dubai

In 2021, In-N-Out operated a one-day pop-up restaurant in Dubai to protect their intellectual property.

2021: Scheduled completion of production facility and distribution center in Colorado Springs.

In 2021, the production facility and distribution center in Colorado Springs are scheduled to be completed.

2022: In-N-Out pop-up in Sydney

In 2022, In-N-Out held a one-day pop-up in Sydney to preserve their trademark rights.

2022: 2022 shirt design created by Danny Heller

In 2022, the In-N-Out shirt design was created by Palm Springs, California artist Danny Heller.

January 10, 2023: New Hub Announced in Tennessee

On January 10, 2023, Tennessee governor Bill Lee and In-N-Out president Lynsi Snyder announced that a new hub would be built in Franklin, Tennessee, to supply restaurants in the Southeast, beginning in the Nashville area.

July 2023: In-N-Out restricts mask wearing by employees

In July 2023, In-N-Out Burgers announced that employees in Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas and Colorado would not be allowed to wear protective face masks at work unless they had a valid medical exemption.

December 2023: First Idaho Store Opens

In December 2023, the first In-N-Out store in Idaho opened in Meridian.

2023: In-N-Out knock-off appears in Mexico

In 2023, an In-N-Out knock-off restaurant named In-I-Nout appeared on Instagram in Culiacan, Mexico. Due to legal pressure, the Mexican imitator changed its name to Sofi's Burger.