In-N-Out Burger has announced the closure of its sole Oakland, California location, expressing deep concerns over the escalating crime and violence in the city.
Despite the Oakland branch being a profitable venture for nearly two decades, the fast-food giant has decided to shut its doors due to the safety risks faced by both customers and staff. In a statement, In-N-Out Chief Operating Officer Denny Warnick emphasized the persistent challenges faced by the Oakland location, including car break-ins, property damage, theft, and armed robberies.
“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 in a statement.
“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 continued.
Recent crime data released by the Oakland Police Department underscores the severity of the situation, with a 38% increase in robberies, a 23% increase in burglaries, and a staggering 44% surge in motor vehicle thefts over the past year.
While the city has faced increasing issues of crime, it appears that the situation will not be resolved any time soon. Last fall, a report by CNN showed that Oakland residents were being advised by law enforcement to carry air horns as a measure against deterring crime. At the same time, many prominent voices in the community, such as NAACP Oakland Branch President Cynthia Adams, blamed the city’s crime surge as a result of “failed leadership.”
The decision by In-N-Out Burger to exit the Oakland market due to rising crime echoes a growing trend among businesses in California, where concerns over weak crime policies have become more prevalent. If crime-related challenges persist, it is likely that more businesses will follow suit until there are substantial changes in crime prevention and law enforcement policies.
