In-N-Out Might Be Coming to Beaverton, and Residents Have One Major Worry: Traffic

First Chick-fil-A came in and snarled traffic, now the burger chain may cause gridlock.

(Doug Kenck-Crispin)
By Andi Prewitt

In-N-Out Burger is scoping out a new location in the Portland area. Some residents aren't exactly thrilled.

The California-based fast food chain is considering adding a franchise in Beaverton at 10565 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway. A representative for the property owner submitted a letter to the director of the Washington County Department of Land Use & Transportation on Dec. 1 to announce plans for a virtual forum that would allow the operators of nearby businesses and residents to raise concerns about their potential new neighbor.

Following the meeting, In-N-Out will likely submit a land development application to the county.

The forum is scheduled for later this month, but already people who live, work and shop in the area are hovered over their keyboards sharing worries about an In-N-Out coming to town on online community platforms like Nextdoor. The No. 1 fear: traffic.

The proposed site is surrounded by strip malls with big box stores like Target, and Beaverton Town Square, anchored by a Fred Meyer, is just 1 mile away. During peak commute times, particularly in the evening, the road is constantly clogged with traffic already. The route is also served by TriMet's Line 54, which connects riders from the Beaverton Transit Center to downtown Portland.

And while Hawaiian Time—a small fast-casual chain with locations clustered around Eugene and Salem, and one outlier in Sparks, Nev.—already occupies the building, it doesn't have quite the same name recognition or rabid demand as In-N-Out.

Even though it's been more than a year since In-N-Out opened its closest location to Portland in Keizer, about 45 minutes south, the drive-thru lines are still long, snaking out of the parking lot and into the roads feeding the shopping center.

This wouldn't be the first fast food juggernaut that's ticked off a number of Beavertonians. Since Chick-fil-A opened in June 2019 on the same road—right next door to the suggested In-N-Out site—many say cravings for its chicken sandwiches and nuggets have led to backups.

At 6 pm Tuesday, Dec. 22, you can share your burger gridlock concerns with In-N-Out representatives via Zoom.

Related: An In-N-Out Skeptic Braves the Crowds at the Chain's New Oregon Location to Ask: What Are These Hamburgers All About?

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