In-N-Out Burger May Never Come to the East Coast, But This New Hampshire Restaurant Comes Close

According to its founders’ granddaughter, In-N-Out Burger will never make it to the East Coast. However, a New Hampshire restaurant, Lee Frank’s Burgers, comes pretty close for customers craving an In-N-Out-style burger. Let’s take a look at what we know about this restaurant.

In-N-Out Burger Has Competition in Lee Frank’s Burgers

97.5 WOKQ is reporting that Lee Frank’s Burgers can be found in Wells, Maine, and South Berwick, Maine. Chef Lee Frank also owns Otis in Exeter, New Hampshire, and is opening a new Lee Frank’s restaurant in the same city this month. It is replacing the Donut Love location at 75 Portsmouth Ave. in the Exeter Commons Plaza.

The restaurant’s menu is devoted to Lee Frank’s early years in the Golden State, demonstrating the influence of In-N-Out Burger. Lee Frank is the restaurant’s founder and a native of Los Angeles, and he grew up with a love for burgers from restaurants like Carney’s Restaurant and In-N-Out Burger.

For Frank, though, his restaurant is about the simplicity of it all, rather than a tribute to the popular West Coast burger joint.

“I think the thing that makes us different is just the simplicity of it all. Just a straightforward southern-Cali style burger joint,” he said to Seacoast Current in 2021 when he opened his first location. “It’s amazing and humbling for sure. Brooke and I are extremely thankful to everyone who has come out during our first week. I’m thrilled to open a place that I’ve thought about many times over and see people enjoy it.”

Frank’s website touts that he was “born in California, bred in Maine,” which has struck a chord with his fellow New Englanders. It may not be the popular West Coast burger joint, but it has come pretty close.

California Locals Protest the Proposed Latest Spot

Meanwhile, on the West Coast, the real In-N-Out Burger has found itself amid some drama regarding its proposed Woodland Hills location. An organization of homeowners is asking a judge to suspend plans to build a new restaurant site. The popular burger joint’s planned location on Ventura Boulevard near Fallbrook Avenue has been met with some opposition from the West Valley Alliance for Optimal Living.

Due to its proximity to multi-family residences, the group is interested in learning more about the potential effects of the drive-thru on noise, traffic, and water quality.

A petition has been filed asking a judge in the Superior Court of Los Angeles to halt the project until an environmental impact report is completed. The City of Los Angeles has yet to respond to the homeowners, and it is not yet apparent when they will.

The fast-food company is nonetheless well-liked by customers despite opposition from the nearby Woodland Hills neighborhood. For loyal admirers, the California classic just unveiled a limited-edition T-shirt.

According to The Orange County Register, the fast-food restaurant chain’s 2025 collector T-shirt honors “California dreaming” in the words of the well-known Mamas & the Papas song.

The word “California” is displayed beneath a neon In-N-Out sign on the front of the black T-shirt. On one side, there is an In-N-Out Burger drive-thru, and on the other, the ocean. The rear features cars at sunset.

Look for Easter eggs among the vehicles and pedestrians on the shirt. The owner and president, Lynsi Snyder, is shown operating one vehicle while her father, Guy Snyder, is operating the other. It was created for loyal followers by digital artist Mr. Xerty, whose true name is Brice Chaplet.

Sizes range from small to triple extra large, and the T-shirt is made entirely of pre-brushed cotton. It costs $19.48 in honor of the year Snyder’s grandparents, Harry and Esther Snyder, opened In-N-Out Burger.

The In-N-Out Company Store, located at 13800 Francisquito Ave., Baldwin Park, is close to Harry and Esther’s first drive-thru, and fans can get the T-shirt there, on the chain’s website, or at its restaurants.