Locals were queued up early on Wednesday to get a taste of Cache Valley’s newest fast-food addition: In-N-Out Burger.
“I know we had people here before 5 a.m.,” said Denny Warnick, the chief operating officer for In-N-Out. “We’re just so blessed.”
Baylee Luker and Ryan Ball treated themselves a little while after the burger joint opened around 10 a.m.
“I love french fries,” Luker said, going on to explain her off-the-menu order. “If you get them animal style, (In-N-Out will) put American cheese, sautéed onions and their special spread on it. … Animal style is the way to go.”
A current student originally from Twin Falls, Idaho, Luker said she used to frequent In-N-Out on trips with her family. After moving to Logan, she was excited to learn the new location was a mere five minute walk from her home.
“It was really fast. They were really nice. Like, everyone in there was super friendly,” Luker said. “Everything’s really organized — it was just a good experience.”
Kelly Johnson, too, spoke to his nostalgic connection to the restaurant.
“When I was a kid in high school, my dad owned a hamburger place and In-N-Out burgers are the closest to the ones my dad used to make,” Johnson said.
According to Johnson, his dad operated the burger joint for around five years in Sebastopol, California, before ultimately relocating to Cache Valley. Johnson, a retired chiropractor now residing in Logan, said his go-to order was “cheeseburger, animal style, extra toasty, chopped chilies.”
Though he’d been a fan for 35 years, he said he’d never attended an opening — but others in his family had.
“I have a brother that was an Elvis impersonator,” Johnson said, “and he went to several In-N-Out openings dressed like Elvis.”
Though enthusiasm was present on Wednesday morning, the drive-through moved relatively quickly and to-stay dining seemed to move even quicker.
“Drive thru took less than 35 minutes!” one commenter wrote on The Herald Journal’s Facebook Page around 2:30 p.m. “My parents went to a grand opening in Oregon last year and they stood in line for over 4 hours! We are lucky to have a big name fast food place in such a small town. They were super fast and it was a relief to see that they prepared very well for the amount of cars in the drive thru.”
Traffic control for the new establishment is taking place on 100 East where it extends for several blocks to the north. Drivers are being directed by traffic control workers through the parking lot to the east of the establishment for parking and drive-through access.
Brian Nakao, the head of In-N-Out’s All Stars, said the plan is to stack as much traffic in the parking lot as possible before extending down 100 East. He said traffic could potentially go as far as 800 North.
“That’s if we get that far,” Nakao said, explaining there was also a further contingency plan to extend traffic control from 200 East to 1000 North if necessary.
Paul Lindhardt, Logan’s public works director, told the Logan City Council during its meeting on Tuesday that the restaurant’s permit for traffic control runs 30 days.
“If that enthusiasm for a double-double dies down quick enough, they will take down the traffic control as quick as they can and not keep it all 30 days,” Lindhardt said. “To their credit, I think they planned, hopefully, above and beyond what is necessary, but their goal is to be ahead of it and not react to a chaotic situation, which I appreciate.”
Lindhardt told the council if traffic control extends to 1000 North and further west to Main Street, the estimated wait for diners could be five to six hours.
“At that point, they encourage people to head to Riverdale,” Lindhardt said with a laugh, explaining the option is only available to In-N-Out for five days. “And again, that’s all in place if needed.”
Logan City Chief of Police Gary Jensen described the company as “impressive.”
“The reason I say that is they’ve done so many of these restaurants and so many openings, they understand the allure to their restaurant,” Jensen told The Herald Journal. “They have really marched into Logan with a traffic plan and have hired 50 flaggers.”
The new location is located at 404 N. Main Street in Logan on property formerly occupied by Nyla’s 66 — a drive-through convenience store and gas station that was leveled, along with another convenience store across the street to the south, in 2020.
Founded in 1948, according to a news release, In-N-Out began as California’s original “drive-thru” burger stand. The company has multiple locations in California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon and Colorado.
Warnick said the Logan location had been in the works for over two years and is the northern most location in the Beehive State. There are nearly 70 associates at the location, and the company is still looking for more employees.
“We continue to hire,” Warnick said. “We still have opportunities here.”