Q&A: Does In-N-Out Burger Franchise in the UK?

In-N-Out Burger is something of a cult brand in its home country, the US. However, it's yet to reach the UK and make its mark. Here, we take a closer look at the In-N-Out Burger franchise and whether it's likely to break into the UK market anytime soon.

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The California-based fast food chain offers high-quality burger meals with a menu centred on three core options: the hamburger, cheeseburger and famous double-double. The double-double, as the name suggests, is two hamburger patties combined with two slices of cheese. Much of the chain’s appeal is that it emphasises quality over quantity – unlike many of its fast-food competitors.

History of In-N-Out Burger

Harry and Esther Snyder established the chain in 1948. Its first restaurant was situated in Baldwin Park, California and was the first drive-thru burger restaurant in the entire state of California. It has since become an integral part of Californian history and identity.

When Harry passed away in 1976, his son, Rich Snyder, assumed control of the 18 restaurants in operation at the time. Over the next 20 years, the chain expanded rapidly, opening its first restaurants outside the Los Angeles metro area in 1990. Since expanding out of California, an Arizona store broke records in 2007 for the most burgers sold in a day and a week. Throughout 70 years of business, the company has always been owned and managed by those in, or with links to, the Snyder family.

What makes In-N-Out Burger special?

In-N-Out Burger is well-known for the quality of its burgers, but it has also managed to market itself exceptionally well. All the restaurants follow a similar white, red and yellow design aesthetic and the business has made a concerted effort to encourage customers to share their love of the In-N-Out Burger experience. This has resulted in a strong following amongst fast-food fans.

In-N-Out Burger has also managed to foster a sense of exclusivity by restricting their operations to the west coast of the US. It means that every store opening outside of California is a hyped and publicised event.

Finally, In-N-Out Burger is also respected for its approach to staff wages and working conditions. It’s one of the only fast food restaurants that pays its employees a salary above the government’s minimum wage guidelines and regularly tops awards lists for the best employer.

Of her employees, sole heiress and current president of In-N-Out, Lynsi Snyder said:

They are the reason for our success, and they deserve to enjoy coming to work, to feel appreciated, and to be treated like family, which is what I consider them.

Does In-N-Out Burger franchise?

Unfortunately, the short answer is no. There are currently no In-N-Out Burger locations in the UK, and it does not appear as though the company has any plans to expand beyond the US at the moment.

The owners of In-N-Out Burger have repeatedly stated that they will never consider franchising as a means of facilitating expansion, nor will they take the business public. Considering that the same family has owned the chain throughout its entire existence, this comes as no real surprise.

The current President, Lynsi Snyder, has been quoted saying that she plans to pass the company on to her children when the right time comes and that she hopes the family will retain control.

Many would-be investors may be disappointed that In-N-Out Burger won’t be attempting to tackle the UK market any time soon. However, this decision makes a lot of sense. There are already a number of US fast-food imports operating in the UK, many of which would be in direct competition with In-N-Out Burger. Plus, much of In-N-Out Burger’s appeal comes from its exclusivity.

Furthermore, In-N-Out Burger is concerned that large-scale, rapid expansion may compromise the quality of its products – an idea that has prevented it from moving beyond the West Coast in the past.

Although there aren’t any opportunities to own your own business with the In-N-Out franchise, we do have other fast-food franchise opportunities on our database.

The fast-food market in the UK

In recent years, consumers have really started to favour cheap, on the-the-go food, and this trend is set to continue long into the future. Technological advancements have also done great things for the takeaway and fast-food restaurant market. The rise of online food delivery companies like Deliveroo and Just Eat are testament to this progression.

This year, its total revenue is around £19 billion and there are roughly 52,790 businesses operating in the sector (IBISWorld). The number of outlets also grew by 34 percent between 2010 and 2019 (BBC) and the number of sales grew by 20.6 percent in 2018 (hospitalityandcateringnews.com).

>> Read more:

• The 8 Best Fast Food Franchises in the UK
• The Original Fast Food: Our Top Three Sandwich Franchises
• Do You Want Fries With That? Our Top 4 Burger Franchises
• Be part of the future of fast food with a One Delivery franchise
• American Burger: How To Start Your Own American Burger Restaurant
• The Yummy Truth About Running a Fast Food Franchise

Read on to find out how you can get involved with the lucrative industry that poses plenty of potential for new fast food businesses.

Fast-food opportunities with Point Franchise

Let’s explore three of our most exciting burger franchises in more depth now. If you’re looking for an alternative to In-N-Out Burger, you’ll be pleased to know that there are a wide range of investment opportunities available, such as Loaded Burgers, Wimpy and Rocket’s.

1. Loaded Burgers

Loaded Burgers is a food franchise that makes burgers packed with high quality meat and fresh toppings. It is dedicated to offering tasty burgers but at a reasonable price to keep customers coming back for more.

When franchisees join this exciting gourmet burger brand, they will take part in an initial training programme, which gets them to grips with the proven business model. Loaded Burgers also provides all the necessary equipment needed to get your business up and running, along with marketing and sales support. Loaded Burgers is keen to help its franchisees every step of the way, as it is serious about the success and growth of the brand.

The ideal Loaded Burgers franchisees are individuals who are business-focused and passionate about food, in particular the burger brand’s food offering. You should also be a quick learner and demonstrate strong management skills. Having experience in the industry is advantageous yet not essential.

If you’re keen to make your mark on the dynamic and evolving industry, why not try your luck at becoming a Loaded Burgers franchisee? You need to make a minimum investment of £25,000 and a total investment of £150,000.

2. Wimpy

This iconic brand has already introduced itself to the UK and many hungry customers across the globe. Wimpy strives for excellent service and great value for money. This has helped it create such a large and loyal customer base over its years in operation.

Wimpy was founded in 1934 and the first restaurant in the UK opened in Lyon’s Corner House in London in 1954. It has since expanded to over 1,000 branches in 23 countries. This shows that the brand has been proven, tested and recognised by consumers.

Although Wimpy is probably most famous for its burgers, it has an extensive offering, including jacket potatoes, all-day breakfasts, cheese toasties, cod and chips, chicken plates, toasted tea cakes, mozzarella sticks, chips, onion rings and much more.

Before you open up shop, you will take part in a two-week skills programme at the Academy Training Store and receive ongoing support in areas such as marketing, advertising, sales and customer relations. Assigned direct managers regularly visit franchisees to ensure you never feel on your own or without necessary support.

Wimpy encourages individuals to apply if they are eager to provide high-quality, affordable meals and have previous managerial experience and great communication skills.

It will cost you £220,000 to launch your own 60-seat Wimpy restaurant and £80,000 for an express unit. Both options include the £10,000 franchise fee.

3. Rocket’s

This burger franchise operates in the fast-casual sector and is one of Ireland’s leading restaurant chains. Only the finest quality ingredients are used, and this includes all-natural Irish meat that is never frozen and always fresh.

The chain will provide franchisees with the necessary support, including help with sourcing a location.

The ideal franchisee is a good decision maker with a business-focused mind and excitement about the success of the brand. It is also beneficial to have restaurant experience and to be able to demonstrate your dedication to Rocket’s and its national growth.

Interested applicants need to be able to make a minimum investment of £170,000 and a total investment of £200,000.

>> Read more:

• Starting a Franchise: Top 5 Things You Must Do
• Top 10 Mistakes To Avoid When Starting A Franchise
• When to consider starting your own business
• Basic guide to franchising
• Conquer your fears and start a franchise
• Reasons not to start a franchise

Bite into the burger market

In-N-Out franchise’s popularity and the growth of the burger industry in the UK shows why franchise opportunities like Loaded Burgers, Wimpy and Rocket’s are a great investment. There are also plenty of other big burger brands that currently offer franchising opportunities in the UK.