• Popular burger chain In-N-Out has announced that it will relocate its headquarters from Irvine, California, to Franklin, Tennessee.
• The decision follows the trend of other major companies leaving California, where the Tax Foundation ranks the Golden State 49th for business climate.
• About 500 In-N-Out employees in Irvine, California, will either transfer to the company’s location in Baldwin Park, California, or possibly relocate to Tennessee.

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One of Southern California’s most popular burger chains announced it will move its company headquarters out of the Golden State. In-N-Out Burger has announced plans to relocate to Tennessee.

What is the timeframe for the move?

The company’s decision to relocate from its Irvine, California, location by 2029, after 30 years, raises questions about high taxes, strict regulations, and the overall business environment in California. There are 500 employees working at the Irvine headquarters.

What does the future setup look like?

In-N-Out will continue to have a location in Baldwin Park, California, which will serve as the West Coast base.

The company plans to open a new headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee, by 2026, overseeing operations in the Eastern United States.

Additionally, In-N-Out will launch nearly three dozen restaurants in Tennessee.

How will current employees be affected?

Some of its 500 employees in Irvine will either move to Baldwin Park or have the opportunity to relocate to Tennessee. The move is a $125 million investment that is expected to create an additional 275 corporate jobs in Franklin.

The burger chain first opened in Baldwin Park in 1948, and by 1994, its headquarters had been established in Irvine.

In addition to California, it has restaurants in Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington.

What are some of the reactions to this corporate move?

Senate Republicans in California described the move as sad but not surprising. They argue that California is failing to promote entrepreneurship and that poor policies are harming the state.

Other well-known companies like Tesla, SpaceX and Whole Foods have also relocated their headquarters from California to states with lower taxes in recent years.

Where does California rank when it comes to business taxes?

The Tax Foundation ranks California 49th on its business tax climate list, behind only New Jersey. According to Newsweek, California has nearly 400,000 regulatory restrictions.