In-N-Out Burger has eye on Idaho as it mulls future expansion plans
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Idaho is on In-N-Out Burger’s radar.
That’s what the popular Irvine, California-restaurant chain told Idaho Statesman writer Michael Deeds in a story posted this week at http://www.idahostatesman.com/entertainment/ent-columns-blogs/words-deeds/article179242496.html.
The question apparently is not if the legendary chain will open an Idaho location but when. However, In-N-Out officials told Deeds the company believes in slow growth so the expansion into Idaho isn’t going to happen overnight.
“Slow and controlled growth has always been part of our strategy here at In-N-Out Burger,” Denny Warnick, In-N-Out’s vice president of operations, told Deeds.
In-N-Out already has restaurants in California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas and Oregon, and Warnick said the company is “aware of the great opportunities in Idaho.”
Deeds’ article highlighted a recent poll showing that In-N-Out Burger is by far the one chain restaurant Boise area residents most want to see expand into Idaho’s capital city.
Deeds wrote, “When I set up a poll recently asking readers ‘Which chain restaurant should come to Boise?,’ the result was a fast-food landslide. A whopping 44 percent of the 4,588 votes were cast for In-N-Out Burger. The next closest restaurant was White Castle — at just 8 percent.”
In-N-Out noticed the poll results.
“We consider it a great compliment to be considered as a favorite burger restaurant in the wish-list survey of ‘which restaurants should come to Boise,’” Warnick told Deeds. “The fact that this result comes directly from your readers in Idaho makes it especially meaningful.”
In-N-Out is also unique in that none of its restaurants are franchises.
The company is a private, family-owned enterprise that places a high value on quality.
“Our own in-house butchers produce all of our meat patties at In-N-Out Burger facilities in three locations: Baldwin Park, California, Lathrop, California, and Dallas, Texas,” Warnick told Deeds. “We do this so that we can control the quality and freshness of every meat patty we serve. The ability to deliver our fresh meat patties to all of our restaurants is one of the most important considerations for us when we consider expanding to a new market.”
Deeds wrote, “In-N-Out gets those patties from California to Utah. So it seems like Boise would be possible.”