In-N-Out Burger’s only location in Oakland is closing after the cherished fast-food joint decided it could no longer risk the safety of fed-up workers and patrons in the city plagued by recent crime.
The location will shut its doors in March — despite the burger spot turning a profit — because of the constant crime in the community, In-N-Out Chief Operating Officer Denny Warnick said in a sudden announcement over the weekend.
The fast food joint has been in the California city for 18 years.
“Despite taking repeated steps to create safer conditions, our Customers and Associates are regularly victimized by car break-ins, property damage, theft, and armed robberies,” Warnick wrote, according to CBS East Bay, which obtained the announcement.
“Additionally, this location remains a busy and profitable one for the company, but our top priority must be the safety and wellbeing of our Customers and Associates – we cannot ask them to visit or work in an unsafe environment,” he said.
Data released by Oakland police at the start of the new year showed robberies increased 38% from 2022 to 2023, ABC 7 Bay Area reported.
Burglaries jumped 23% year-to-year and motor vehicle theft spiked 44%, the data showed.
Workers at Oakland’s In-N-Out can either transfer to another one of the company’s fast-food restaurants or accept a severance package.
“We are grateful for the local community, which has supported us for over 18 years, and we recognize that this closure negatively impacts our Associates and their families,” Warnick wrote.
