In-N-Out double-doubles down in Huntington Beach, as second location opens

Hungry patrons in Surf City now have another In-N-Out Burger for all of their double-double, “animal style� fries or shake needs.

The popular fast food franchise opened its second Huntington Beach location on Thursday at 7902 Edinger Ave., across the street from the Bella Terra outdoor mall.

In-N-Out No. 387 was formerly a Wells Fargo bank and has been in the works for about two years.

The new restaurant opened early Thursday, by about 9 a.m., and foot traffic picked up significantly as the lunch rush neared. Regular hours are from 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. five days a week, and a half-hour later on Friday and Saturday nights.

“We have so many loyal customers down here that take great care of us, and they have for decades,� said In-N-Out Chief Operating Officer Denny Warnick, who was in Huntington Beach for the opening. “We’re thrilled to be here. When we first came to look at this particular site, [we liked] its proximity to a great intersection, proximity to the freeway. It fit in nicely with our other restaurants in the area.�

The location is the second In-N-Out in the city, joining one near the corner of Beach Boulevard and Talbert Avenue. Trista Wilson, a 10-year veteran of the company, is managing the new restaurant, which has about 80 employees.

The new In-N-Out Burger in Huntington Beach, across from the Bella Terra shopping center, is now open for business.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

There is one drive-through lane, indoor seating for 54 guests and a covered patio with outdoor seating for 30 guests.

Indoors was the way to go on a windy Thursday morning. Huntington Beach resident Sixto Ramirez stopped in with his wife Sandi and ordered a double-double burger with no cheese, no onions and light spread.

“My usual,� he said. “We drive through here all the time. I’m like, when is it going to open? When is it going to open? I wanted guest No. 1 [on my receipt], but I ended up with No. 32.�

Sandi predicts the location will be a popular one with their children, ages 17, 14 and 12.

“We know that every time we pass by, they’re going to want something from here,� she said with a laugh.

Many residents have expressed concerns about the added traffic near an already busy intersection. The parking lot is deep, which could alleviate some of those worries.

An employee directs a driver to the drive-through entrance Thursday at the new In-N-Out Burger in Huntington Beach.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

“We put a lot of thought during the development process into how we can best make sure that it’s convenient to our customers, and that we don’t cause a disruption in the community,� Warnick said. “The size of this parcel and the depth of it made us feel confident. We have a drive lane that queues toward the rear of the property and won’t back up onto surrounding streets. We have a lot of capacity in this drive lane as well … While customers will have the ability to enter and exit on Edinger, they also have a very easy option on Aldridge [Drive] to the rear.�

Surf City residents Erik Lapporte and his wife Vanessa walked to the new location on Thursday morning. Erik is a former employee at the first Huntington Beach In-N-Out, and the newlywed couple regularly enjoy items off the eatery’s menu.

Vanessa Lapporte ordered a cheeseburger combo with grilled onions and no tomatoes, and it came with a story about the evolution of her order.

“I used to get my burger just completely plain, just the meat and the bun, because the meat and the bun is so good,� she said. “Right before we got married last year, I couldn’t fit into my wedding dress. We were just getting the meat wrapped in lettuce for like three weeks. The night before we got married, me and my sister went and I got a regular burger, and it was so good. Since then, I always have to get it this way, not just the meat and the bun anymore.�

The new In-N-Out Burger is located at 7902 Edinger Ave. in Huntington Beach, across from Bella Terra.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

Sisters Sophia Dinh and Elizabeth Luong both attend Golden West College down the street, so they said it was an easy call to attend the opening. The Garden Grove residents brought along their mother and got some swag from a pop-up tent behind the store, including the fold-out worker hats that they wore as they consumed an early lunch.

Luong predicted the new location would be popular.

“I think it’s a perfect spot,� she said. “A lot of middle-schoolers and high-schoolers like to hang out and walk from Bella Terra to Target and stuff. This is right in-between.�

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