In-N-Out owner Lynsi Snyder says the burger chain will never leave California, even though she has moved her family to Tennessee. Calling such a move the "dumbest business decision ever," she said in an interview with actor Terry Crews: "This is where we started. It's where we are now, and it's where we will always be." Snyder, worth an estimated $7.3 billion, said last year that raising kids and doing business in California was hard. That sparked fears the company might exit the state. In-N-Out keeps headquarters in California and Tennessee. She said "lots of stores" are planned for California. The chain also operates in nine other states, and Snyder suggested Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico may follow. She said growth will stay slow and steady to protect food quality.

In-N-Out owner Lynsi Snyder names Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma as possible next states for burger chain expansion. By Paige Mitchell Published: Nov 04 2026, 5:25 AM EST In-N-Out Burger owner and president Lynsi Snyder has named Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma as states the California chain could eventually enter. She made the comments in a nearly 50-minute interview with actor Terry Crews that In-N-Out released for its 78th anniversary, Patch reported Oct. 28, 2026. The key word is "possible" - Snyder did not announce a single restaurant, site or opening date in any of the three states. "There's some states there that are possibilities, you could say," she said, according to Patch. For burger fans in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Little Rock and Jackson, that means a Double-Double is still not on any official calendar. What the interview does show is how the family-owned chain decides where to go next, and why those three states keep coming up. Snyder's words, as reported. According to Patch, Snyder described the map when asked about future growth. "If you look at the map, you've got Texas. There's Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma," she said. In-N-Out's own interview page presents the conversation as a reflection on the company's people, values and history as it marks 78 years. The page does not include a transcript. News On 6 in Tulsa also reported the remarks. In its version, Snyder said there are "some other states... that could be on the way," naming the same three. News On 6 described Oklahoma as a state Snyder floated for a possible future location, not a confirmed one. The station noted that other national chains have recently entered the state, including Shake Shack, which opened its first Oklahoma restaurant in Oklahoma City's OAK shopping center in March 2025. Snyder also described how the company tracks interest. "We have a whole sheet of the different states and how many requests we get from each state," she said, according to Patch. Patch reported that the company weighs those requests against real estate research, distribution logistics and its preference for controlled growth. Food World News could not independently review the full interview transcript, so the quotes here are attributed to the outlets that reported them. The distribution map behind the shortlist. In-N-Out does not freeze its beef patties, and it does not franchise. That means new restaurants have to be within reach of a company distribution and production facility. Geography helps explain the shortlist. Oklahoma borders Texas, where In-N-Out already operates. Arkansas and Mississippi sit between Texas and Tennessee, the chain's newest state. The Tennessee restaurants are served by the company's distribution hub in Texas, KTLA reported when they opened. Trucks carrying fresh ingredients already cross states that do not have an In-N-Out. Patch described Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma as lying along or near that distribution corridor. That is a logistical observation, not a commitment. Snyder herself did not tie any of the three states to a specific facility or timeline in the reported remarks. Tennessee and New Mexico show how long expansion takes. The chain's recent moves suggest how long it typically takes to go from an announcement to an open restaurant. In-N-Out announced its Tennessee plans in January 2023, along with a $125.5 million regional office in Franklin, near Nashville, CBS News reported at the time. The first two Tennessee restaurants, in Lebanon and Antioch, did not open until December 2025, nearly three years later. Tennessee became the chain's 10th state. In-N-Out has said it ultimately plans around 35 Tennessee locations, according to KTLA. Patch reported that five are now open. New Mexico is next on the confirmed list. When In-N-Out announced the move, it said openings in Albuquerque should happen by 2027, supplied from a distribution facility in Colorado Springs, QSR Magazine reported. That project shows the difference between a named possibility and an announced plan. New Mexico has an official target. Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma do not. Snyder also signaled that growth will stay measured. "If I ever felt like we were slipping or losing our way, growth would look a lot differently," she said, according to Patch. The outlet reported that the chain sometimes falls short of yearly opening targets because of permitting delays and other challenges. Reading the signals as a diner. For fans in the three states, the practical takeaway is patience. Snyder's remarks are the clearest public sign yet that Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma are on the company's radar, but they are not an announcement. Any real plan would likely surface first through city permit filings, job postings or an official In-N-Out statement. Customers who want In-N-Out in their state can still make their case. Snyder said the company keeps a running count of requests by state, and she has cited customer requests in past announcements. When In-N-Out announced Tennessee in 2023, Snyder said customers there had asked for years for locations nearby. Diners should be wary of social media posts claiming a specific opening date or address in Oklahoma, Arkansas, or Mississippi. As of Nov. 3, 2026, In-N-Out had not published any such plan for the three states. Food World News will report any official announcement of sites, distribution plans or timelines in the three states. The bottom line: Snyder named three possible states - not three new markets. Tennessee took nearly three years from announcement to opening, and New Mexico has a 2027 target. Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma do not yet have a plan, a site or a date. What people are asking. Is In-N-Out opening in Oklahoma, Arkansas or Mississippi? Not officially. Lynsi Snyder named the three as possibilities, but In-N-Out has announced no locations, sites or dates there. Where did Snyder make the comments? In a nearly 50-minute interview with actor Terry Crews that In-N-Out released for its 78th anniversary, according to Patch. Why those three states? Patch reported they lie along or near the distribution corridor between Texas, where In-N-Out has a distribution hub, and Tennessee. How many states does In-N-Out operate in? Ten: California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado, Idaho, Washington, and Tennessee. Which state is officially next? New Mexico. In-N-Out has said Albuquerque openings should happen by 2027. How long did Tennessee take? In-N-Out announced Tennessee in January 2023, and the first restaurants opened in December 2025. How can I ask In-N-Out to come to my state? Snyder said the company tracks the number of requests it receives from each state.