In-N-Out Burger basing new corporate hub in Franklin, Nashville locations to come

In-N-Out Burger is coming to Tennessee with plans to not only open restaurants here, but plant a corporate hub in Franklin promising a $125 million investment in the state.

The California-based burger restaurant estimates its expansion into Tennessee will create 275 jobs.

Company Chief Operating Officer Denny Warnick said the company plans to open a 100,000-square-foot office in the Berry Farms area of Franklin by 2026 that will house departments to support the company's growth in Tennessee such as operations, management and human resources. Construction is expected to begin late next year.

Company President Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson, granddaughter of In-N-Out founders, said the company is also eyeing locations in Nashville to open the first In-N-Out Burger restaurant here in the next few years.

"We have our eye on a few locations," she said, but added that they weren't far along enough to name specific areas.

"When we've opened in new states, we get overwhelmed with customers, so we generally try to open two in one day when we are first stepping into a state," she said. "We will start with two and probably have a third one shortly after."

Currently, In-N-Out has 385 locations throughout California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon and Colorado. With other company locations only as far east as Texas, Ellingson said a trip to Tennessee was all it took for her to fall in love with the state.

"We came here years ago, actually East of the smokies, but came back out to Pigeon Forge and Nashville and fell in love. There was one other state definitely interested and wanting us there, but we chose Nashville."

"In-N-Out Burger is a great family business that has been operating for decades in this country, with a value system and a way of serving their customers that lines up just right here in Tennessee," Lee said in a tweet. "It means a lot of opportunity, and a lot of jobs for a lot of Tennesseans."

Ellingson and her husband Sean presented Lee with his very own In-N-Out Burger signature red apron with his name embroidered at the top, which he donned Tuesday.

Although Lee did not say when the first restaurant might open or how many there would be, he assured that Tennesseans would get to have "a double double, fries and shakes right here in the great state of Tennessee."

In-N-Out Burger was founded in 1948 and will celebrate its 75th year in business later this year.