This Fresno In-N-Out plans to fix its long drive-thru lines, closing for several weeks
The drive-thru line at In-N-Out Burger on West Shaw Avenue in Fresno is often swamped with cars, the line frequently spilling out onto the busy street.
Now, In-N-Out has a plan to fix that.
The popular California eatery known for its “animal-style” burgers and milkshakes confirmed Wednesday that it’s moving ahead with plans to improve its drive-thru and parking lot.
Starting sometime early next year, it will lengthen the drive-thru lane on restaurant property and add 37 parking spaces.
Because the work must be done during daytime hours, the restaurant will close for several weeks, Denny Warnick, chief operating officer, said in an email to The Bee.
He did not give an exact date.
Problem drive-thrus
In-N-Out drive-thrus in Fresno and Clovis two years ago were voted the No. 2 worst drive-thrus in town during a Bee reader poll on the topic.
The 5106 W. Shaw Ave. location was cited in a Fresno Bee story about problematic ones.
The owner of Liquor Junction next door had put up signs asking In-N-Out customers to not block his driveway. But they still do, making it difficult for liquor store patrons to get in and out of the parking lot.
It’s not unusual for stopped drivers waiting to order to stack up in Shaw’s right-hand lane, while traffic goes whizzing by at 40 mph. The owner said there’s been one crash and he regularly hears screeching brakes.
The restaurant has employees on foot taking orders on tablets at driver windows to speed up the process, but cars still stack up during busy times.
In-N-Out previously told The Bee it wanted to reroute the drive-thru lane through the empty lot behind the restaurant, now just dirt surrounded by a metal fence. It did not provide details Wednesday, but it could end up resembling the In-N-Out on Blackstone Avenue, with a drive-thru line that stretches deep into the property and almost never backs up into the street.
When the work is finished, the Shaw In-N-Out will have 91 parking spaces.
