In-N-Out Billionaire Owner Lynsi Snyder Moves Family And HQ To Tennessee, Citing California's Regulations: 'Doing Business Is Not Easy Here'

The billionaire owner of the iconic burger chain In-N-Out, Lynsi Snyder, has announced that she is relocating her family and the company’s headquarters from California to Tennessee. Snyder cited the challenges of doing business and raising a family in California as the primary reasons for the move.

What Happened: In an episode of the “Relatable” podcast released on Friday, Snyder revealed that she is moving to Tennessee as part of In-N-Out’s expansion into the southeastern United States. The company will also establish a new headquarters in the Nashville suburbs.

Snyder highlighted the challenges of running a business in California, particularly the COVID-19 restrictions, including mask mandates and vaccine requirements. The state’s stringent policies made it difficult for In-N-Out to operate, with health officials temporarily shutting down several locations in 2021 due to the chain’s refusal to enforce vaccination mandates.

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“There’s a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here. Doing business is not easy here,” Snyder said in the podcast.

Despite the move, In-N-Out will continue to expand in the Southeast, with Tennessee as the new corporate hub. Snyder emphasized that the company’s priority is sustainable expansion while maintaining the quality of its products and services.

Why It Matters: Snyder’s decision to relocate her family and business from California is another example of prominent figures expressing frustration with the state’s business environment.

In June 2024, celebrity chef Andrew Gruel announced that he would not open any new businesses in California until the state “actually fix things,” citing the challenges faced by restaurants due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Last year, California raised its minimum wage from $16 to $20, triggering a ripple effect across the fast-food industry. Major chains, such as Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE:CMG), McDonald's Corp. (NYSE:MCD), and Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ:SBUX), responded by increasing their prices to offset rising labor costs.

Although the wage hike aimed to support and uplift workers, it created financial challenges for businesses, which had to manage significantly higher expenses. These costs were ultimately passed on to consumers through price hikes.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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