Bristol Street In-N-Out will close to expand drive-thru, patio, kitchen, and parking
If you’re a fan of In-N-Out Burger who visits the Santa Ana location on North Bristol Street, here’s the good news: the quintessentially California chain plans to enlarge the kitchen, outdoor dining patio and drive-thru lanes there in coming months.
The bad news? The restaurant would close for construction, which could take four or five months, In-N-Out officials said.
Closing and construction dates haven’t been set because the restaurant is awaiting city approvals, company Vice President of Real Estate and Development Carl Arena wrote in an email. City officials said the Planning Commission could take a look at the project on May 28, and if it’s approved the company can immediately seek permits for building and demolition.
The Bristol restaurant was Orange County’s first In-N-Out when it opened in 1975. It’s been popular enough to get its own marked turn lane into the parking lot, but still causes traffic issues when the drive-thru line gets long.
Rebuilding and expanding the restaurant on a bigger lot – the company bought a vacant parcel next door – should help fix that. The current double drive-thru lines can only queue about 11 cars, and the new design will fit up to 34 cars, more than three times as many, city spokeswoman Daisy Perez said.
To keep In-N-Out’s nostalgic feel of the car culture era, no indoor dining room will be added, but the outdoor patio will seat 40, more parking will be available and the enclosed lobby with a counter for ordering will become a walk-up window like other In-N-Outs have. The kitchen also will double in size, city planner Ivan Orozco said.
If the Planning Commission signs off on the expansion, work can start fairly soon afterward. Around the same time, drivers and In-N-Out customers should also expect to see roadwork on that section of Bristol Street.
Perez said the city plans to improve the median, add bike lanes and remove the right turn pocket that feeds cars into the In-N-Out property.
Meanwhile, about 3.5 miles east, a third Santa Ana In-N-Out restaurant, along with a Chick-fil-A, is proposed for the northeast corner of 17th Street and North Tustin Avenue, Perez said. The site is kitty-corner from where a Raising Cane’s restaurant will be built.
Santa Ana must first annex the property so the proposed restaurants can connect to city water and sewer lines. The City Council is expected to vote on the annexation in June.