If there was a wish that California native Michele Bukieda hoped she'd see come true one day, it was that In-N-Out Burger would open a location in Washington state.
That wish came true Wednesday when the popular burger chain opened its doors in Ridgefield, a small town 20 miles north of Portland, Ore.
"I'm 4 minutes from the new Ridgefield location!" Bukieda wrote on the chain's Facebook page. "I’m almost 74 years old [and] have always wished they would come to Washington, wish granted, thanks In-N-Out for making an old girls wish come true!"
"We're happy to know we fulfilled your wish, Michele!" the company responded to her post. "It's long-time customers like yourself who have made us the company we are today."
Bukeida could not immediately be reached for comment.
Like any typical In-N-Out Burger grand opening, the new location drew hundreds of customers. Some in Ridgefield began to line up overnight in the drive-thru, waiting hours to feast on the popular burger. Although the fast food restaurant was scheduled to open at 10:30 a.m., it opened its doors two hours early to accommodate the long lines.
Kevin Kehn, who drove two hours — 126 miles — south from Milton was the first driver to show up at the new location. He told FOX 13 Seattle that he had been in line with his dog since 8:16 p.m. Tuesday.
"I travel a lot for work. So anytime there is an In-N-Out Burger in the area, I always stop there," Kehn told the news station.
Clint Ford, a 26-year veteran of In-N-Out, manages the Ridgefield restaurant, which employs about 80 workers, according to a company statement.
The restaurant includes one drive-through lane, indoor seating for 73 guests and a covered patio with outdoor seating for 28 guests, according to the statement. All In-N-Out Burger locations are open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. and until 1:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
In-N-Out has more than 400 locations in California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado and Idaho. It was founded by Harry and Esther Snyder in Baldwin Park in 1948 and is still owned and operated by the Snyder family.
The company's billionaire owner and chief executive, Lynsi Snyder, was at the Ridgefield restaurant to cut the red ribbon, officially marking the opening of the new location. Snyder made headlines last month when she announced on a Christian conservative podcast show that she was leaving the Golden State.
“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 during the podcast.
The company had already announced plans in January 2023 to establish a corporate office in Franklin, Tenn., by 2026. But her statements were used by critics of the state who blame California's policies for driving businesses out of state such as Tesla, Charles Schwab and Chevron. Gov. Gavin Newsom took to X to clarify that In-N-Out Burger was simply expanding eastward.
But Snyder's comments also had sparked backlash among Californians, particularly those in Southern California, who helped make the business successful for 76 years.
She took to Instagram to address the matter, saying: “Where I raise my family has nothing to do with my love and appreciation for our customers in California.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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