In-N-Out Burger is closing its only Oakland restaurant, citing ongoing issues with crime despite “taking repeated steps to create safer conditions” for customers and workers at the Oakport Street location of the popular fast-food chain.
In a statement, Denny Warnick, In-N-Out’s chief operating officer, said that patrons and employees are “regularly victimized by car break-ins, property damage, theft and armed robberies” at the location, close to Oakland International Airport. In-N-Out’s last day in Oakland will be March 24.
“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 said. “Additionally, this location remains a busy and profitable one for the company, but our top priority must be the safety and well-being of our Customers and Associates — we cannot ask them to visit or work in an unsafe environment.”
All employees at the Oakland location will have the option to transfer to another nearby In-N-Out restaurant, or receive a severance package. Warnick said the company will continue supporting local charities in Oakland through the In-N-Out Burger Foundation and Slave 2 Nothing Foundation.
Annual crime data released recently by the Oakland Police Department suggests robberies in the city increased 38% between 2022 and 2023, while burglaries ticked up 23%.