Here's Who Really Owns In-N-Out Burger

Throughout its more than 70 years, In-N-Out Burger has remained a privately owned family business. Founders Esther and Harry Snyder opened the first restaurant in 1948 in Baldwin Park, California, and slowly grew the business. Today, their granddaughter, Lynsi Snyder, serves as the company president. After the tragic deaths of Harry and Esther's sons, Lynsi became the sole heir to the burger chain. She took on the role of company president in 2010, and seven years later, inherited full control of the In-N-Out empire. She became a billionaire at age 35. As of November 2025, Snyder is 43, and her net worth is an estimated $8.7 billion.

Under Lynsi Snyder, the expansion of the chain has quickened. She has nearly doubled the number of restaurants — from 230 to 424 — since 2010. She has emphasized a careful approach to expansion to maintain the chain's signature quality. In-N-Out still hand-cuts its fries and only uses fresh beef. That focus on quality has fostered a nearly fanatical fan base, including the late, great chef and TV personality Anthony Bourdain, who ate there whenever he got the chance. Even Julia Child was a fan, as it was her favorite fast food restaurant.

When the Snyders founded In-N-Out Burger in 1948, it quickly became a huge success, in part due to Harry Snyder's invention of the two-way speaker system that changed the drive-thru forever. Unlike other fast food chains, the Snyders expanded In-N-Out slowly. By 1976, McDonald's had 4,000 locations nationwide, while In-N-Out only had 18. Now Lynsi Snyder is expanding the company into the Southeast, with plans for 35 stores in Tennessee beginning in 2026. Even with the expansions, Snyder has said she plans to keep the company privately owned and will not franchise.

Lynsi Snyder's leadership style is more casual than her forebears. She dresses down for work and even plays in a rock band with In-N-Out employees and her husband, Sean Ellingson. Snyder says this makes for an approachable, hands-on leadership style that helps foster trust, loyalty, and engagement among her team. Her tenure hasn't come without controversy, though. In July 2025, Snyder faced backlash for statements made about California not being an easy place to raise a family or do business. Still, Snyder plans to set up an In-N-Out headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee — far from where In-N-Out began in 1948.