America’s favorite burger chain isn’t bowing to delivery trends and app-based ordering preferences any time soon.
In-N-Out Burger’s chief executive officer recently said the California-based fast-food restaurant chain does not intend to offer online ordering or delivery.
The restaurants, which are mostly located on the West Coast and in the Southwest, are best known for their fresh, made-to-order burgers, upbeat employees and Bible verses printed on the packaging — a formula that’s helped build a loyal fan base.
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In-N-Out CEO Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson made the remarks while speaking at Pepperdine University on March 31 when the moderator asked if the fast-food chain would introduce things like mobile order pickup and app ordering.
“We have, for sure, had that put in front of us — and the answer is no,” Snyder-Ellingson said.
“The main reason is part of what makes In-N-Out and the experience so special — [it’s] the interaction and the customer service that we’re able to give, the smile, the greeting, just that warmth and feeling, that culture.”
The CEO added, “And so, the mobile ordering will definitely take a piece of that away and there’s also the freshness factor.”
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Snyder-Ellingson, 43, also said she doesn’t see In-N-Out “being on the East Coast in my lifetime.
“We won’t compromise on quality just to expand,” she said.
In-N-Out’s branding is “intentional and central to its strategy,” said Amore Philip, a public relations strategist based in New York.
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Philip told Fox News Digital that In-N-Out’s in-person experience, atmosphere and fresh food are all qualities that delivery services might compromise. (She is not affiliated with the brand.)
“Brands with strong followings do not need to be available everywhere. they create destinations,” she said. “In-N-Out has fostered loyalty through scarcity and consistency, achieving more than most brands that rely on widespread convenience.”
Philip added, “This approach is not nostalgia, but deliberate positioning.”
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There’s something “psychologically powerful” about the In-N-Out ordering experience, said Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist based in New York City.
Alpert told Fox News Digital the chain’s consistency “builds loyalty over time.”
“There’s also something to the fact that not everything should be instantly available,” he noted. “When people have to seek something out, it can feel more special and more tied to habit, ritual and even identity.”
Alpert said it’s about more than just people ordering lunch.
“For a lot of customers, going to In-N-Out is part of the experience people have come to associate with the brand,” he said.
Fox News Digital reached out to In-N-Out for comment.
