Weeks after opening, drive-thru lines at Meridian’s new In-N-Out are still hours long
Nothing has Idahoans divided quite like In-N-Out Burger.
The California fast-food chain’s Meridian opening Dec. 12 sorted residents into two factions: those who are willing to wait hours for an In-N-Out burger, and those who loudly profess the former are wasting their time.
The divide is no more clear than in, you guessed it, the Facebook groups dedicated to the company’s new store, the first in the state, at the Village at Meridian. One group, called “In-N-Out Meridian Idaho Wait Time Tracker,” already has over 6,000 members and hundreds of posts since it was created a week ago. It also has the latest wait-time estimates reported by customers in real time as they stand, or sit, in line, so that others can plan accordingly.
“I’ve been in line since 6:52 p.m.,” Linda Daudet, an Eagle resident, wrote Dec. 18, with a photo of eight rows of cars packed tightly in a waiting queue, the In-N-Out building barely distinguishable in the background.
Nearly three hours later, at 9:39 p.m., she provided an update. Burger secured.
Many cheered her on, some posted their own wait times and plenty shared their newfound contempt for the string of customers continuing to materialize outside the store’s front doors and throughout the Village’s big parking lot at the intersection of Fairview Avenue and Eagle Road – still a week after its grand opening, where fans went to even greater lengths to get their hands on the chain’s acclaimed Double-Double burgers and “animal-style” fries.
Several customers lined up overnight in the near-freezing temperatures and dozens slept in their cars to be among the first to order at the store. By noon opening day, a sign cautioned drive-thru goers that the wait could be as long as eight hours.
Traffic impact? So far, minimal
When might demand cool? Time will tell.
For now, it appears standing in line will make your trip to the store much faster. And, if you don’t mind a burger for breakfast, showing up rather early seems to yield the shortest wait times.
Over the past week, the store has been opening its doors at 9 a.m., sooner than its regular hours, because of the high demand. It’s unclear how long that may last. A spokesperson for In-N-Out did not immediately respond Tuesday to an inquiry.
The restaurant’s normal hours of operation are Sunday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Friday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Kelsey Winnett, a spokesperson for the city of Meridian, said that despite the big traffic influx to the area, the police department hasn’t responded to any incidents at the store.
“I think the traffic plan that In-N-Out came up with was well executed,” Winnett said by phone. “We haven’t had any crashes or issues related to the opening.”
A spokesperson for the Ada County Highway District, Rachel Bjornestad, told the Statesman there was a minor increase in traffic to the area on opening day, with cars queuing in the road near the intersection. She said ACHD monitored the situation and was prepared to remotely adjust the timing of the nearby traffic lights if needed.
But there hasn’t been a notable uptick in traffic since that first day, she said.
“We were wondering how crazy it was going to get,” Bjornestad said. “And certainly it was. But luckily not on the road. Most of the cars ended up in the parking lot.”