In-N-Out shocks Oakland residents by closing city's only location despite turning a profit — and high crime is to blame

In-N-Out Burger is planning to shutter its only Oakland, California, location.

The burger joint's lone restaurant in the Bay Area-city has been operating for nearly two decades, and, importantly, it is profitable. But the company announced over the weekend that high crime in the Democrat-controlled city has made it impossible to operate safely.

"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," In-N-Out chief operating officer Denny Warnick said in a statement. "[T]his 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."

Patrons who frequent the restaurant said they are sad about the closure. Unfortunately, they understand why In-N-Out made the decision.

"I'm definitely frustrated," Oakland resident Jenny Goeppner told KPIX-TV. "Because if it's not In-N-Out, it's something else tomorrow."

Resident Darryl Brown added, "These are people's jobs, and it's essential to have jobs so we can spend money in the community."

Oakland, like most other Democrat-controlled cities, is experiencing significant problems with crime. Specifically, crimes like motor vehicle thefts, burglaries, and robberies have skyrocketed in the city.

The In-N-Out in Oakland, which sits just two miles away from Oakland International Airport, has been hit particularly hard by the crime wave.

In fact, security guards who work in the area recently told the San Francisco Standard that they take more calls from the In-N-Out than any other patrol location in the city, with multiple vehicle break-ins happening daily.

"On a regular day, I'd say five," one security guard told the news outlet. "On a bad day, I can't even get a report in because it's back-to-back."

In-N-Out said that impacted employees can transfer to other In-N-Out locations in the Bay Area or they may choose to receive a severance package. The restaurant will officially close on March 24.

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