In-N-Out Burger has announced the permanent closure of one of it’s locations on March 24th. This will be the first time that one of In-N-Out’s restaurants has closed in about 75 years, and it’s not due to any fault of their own such as, going out of business due to terrible sales.
The location in question is in Oakland CA, and despite being “busy and profitable”, COO Denny Warnick said they can’t have employees, and customers continue to “visit or work in an unsafe environment.” Other popular retailers, and quick service restaurants in the city have faced the same challenges, businesses like Target, and Starbucks have closed shop over the crime rate.
In-N-Out has had several locations re-locate to other locations in the past but never a permanent closure of one of their restaurants
Warnick, in the statement:
“despite taking repeated steps to create safer conditions, our customers and associates are regularly victimized by car break-ins, property damage, theft, and armed robberies. We feel the frequency and severity of the crimes being encountered by our customers and associates leave us no alternative”
The city of Oakland’s crime rate has increased 23% during 2023 from the previous year. Vehicle thefts are up 44% compared to 2022, and burglaries, up 22% according to data obtained by KGO-TV. One In-N-Out customer shared her recent scare:
“They were trying to steal my vehicle, but I had a kill switch on. So they couldn’t get my vehicle, but they took all my belongings out,” the diner said.
The location is Oakland’s only In-N-Out, and it’s been open for almost 20 years. The location’s almost 100 employees will either be sent to another In-N-Out in San Francisco or they will receive severance.
In lighter news, Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson recently embarrassed himself when he posted to social media claiming that he’d just visited In-N-Out Burger for the first time. His followers quickly pointed out that he’d posted at least two or three other times in the past about going to In-N-Out for the “first time”. One has to wonder why anyone would need to lie about such a thing? The Rock responded to the madness by claiming that he didn’t remember his previous trips to the burger chain…this one’s a head scratcher.
