Wildly Popular Burger Chain Expanding, Could Iowa or Wisconsin Be Next?

We've tried to be patient here in the Midwest. However, after multiple generations have hoped and not had their dream of a famous burger chain making it to their state, our patience is wearing thin. However, there is some promising news to report.

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For the first time in its illustrious 75-year history, In-N-Out Burger is expanding east of Texas. That's big news because while In-N-Out Burger is big in customer love, it's been slow to expand. Since opening the first In-N-Out Burger in Baldwin Park, California in 1948, there are now 385 locations. However, they're still in only seven states.

Interestingly enough, in a survey of best burger restaurants by state, residents of only two of the seven states that have In-N-Out Burger didn't vote for it as the #1 or #2 burger restaurant in the state. The two that didn't were Oregon and Colorado, which have only 9 locations between them. Residents of Arizona, California, and Utah said In-N-Out Burger was #1 while both Nevada and Texas voted it #2.

So, about that expansion. In-N-Out Burger announced Tuesday, January 10 that Tenessee will be next to get burgers made with 100% American beef and whole chucks that are boned and ground by the restaurant chain's own butchers.

In the announcement, Lynsi Snyder who is In-N-Out owner, president and sole granddaughter of the original owners Harry and Esther Synder said: "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... "

In addition to the hamburgers I mentioned earlier, In-N-Out Burger hand-dices whole potatoes into french fries just before they're cooked and served. Their shakes are made with real ice cream.

The In-N-Out Burger menu is a simple one:

Maybe, someday In-N-Out Burger will come to Iowa, Wisconsin, or other parts of the Midwest. In the meantime, watch for this storefront when you travel to Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, or Utah. Or on that trip to Nashville and other parts of Tennessee... the first locations are expected to open in Music City in 2026.