the wait is over
In-N-Out Burger announces opening date of first Houston restaurant
UPDATE: The popular West Coast burger chain surprised Houstonians with a second opening in Katy at 1010 Katy-Fort Bend Rd. on Friday, November 22.
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Houston's long wait for animal-style fries and Neapolitan shakes ends on Friday. In-N-Out Burger's first Houston-area restaurant will open at 10:30 am on Friday, November 22 at 12611 S. Kirkwood Rd.
The eagerly anticipated announcement came via a social media account for The Grid, the mixed-use in Stafford where the restaurant is located. Covering 350,000 square feet, the retail and restaurant development occupies the former Texas Instruments campus.
Rumors of In-N-Out's entry into the Houston market have swirled since at least 2011, but Houstonians have had to watch as the restaurant came to Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio before the Bayou City. The burger chain made a splash in 2017 when it purchased property at 8373 Westheimer Rd., but a tenant's long-term lease on the space has prevented the company from moving forward with building a restaurant there. In-N-Out has also announced locations in Katy and at Willowbrook Mall.
Founder Harry Snyder opened the first In-N-Out in 1948 in Los Angeles’ San Gabriel Valley. Across its 70-odd-year history, the company had become known for a number of firsts and traditions, including being the first drive-thru restaurant to use a two-way speaker system, hand-leafing its lettuce on site, and a not-very-secret menu that's developed a loyal cult following.
Expect a huge crowd for the restaurant's opening. Driving to Stafford certainly won't diminish the parade of California transplants and burger lovers from getting their fix — and being the first locally to weigh in on the inevitable In-N-Out versus Whataburger debate.
