At least one In-N-Out Burger restaurant will open in Middle Tennessee in the next two years — and fittingly, the first In-N-Out east of the Mississippi River will be at the revered chain’s planned Franklin corporate office.

Matt Largen, president and CEO of Williamson, Inc., recently laid out the timeline for the In-N-Out development in Franklin while seeking approval for a tax break from county commissioners. Williamson County, Inc. includes the county’s chamber of commerce and economic development teams.

“In-N-Out Burger is an iconic American brand and it’s also a great place to work,” Largen said.

In-N-Out is expected to close on a 28-acre property on Goose Creek Bypass in the Berry Farms area near Interstate 65 by July 31. In late 2024, construction will begin on the corporate office and restaurant.

By 2025, an on-site In-N-Out Burger restaurant will open, Largen said. The company originally announced restaurants would start appearing in the Middle Tennessee area starting in 2026, which is the year the office space is expected to be finished.

“We are going to have a restaurant nearby on the same property,” said Mike Abbate, vice president of real estate for In-N-Out, who discussed the likely first In-N-Out restaurant in Middle Tennessee.

“That was important to us because the people that are working there are allowed to come and eat at our restaurant free of charge everyday. It’s part of our company values.”

In January, In-N-Out Burger announced Franklin would be the location of the California-based, family-owned company’s eastern territory office. The planned 100,000-square-foot, three-story office will serve as a base of operations for In-N-Out Burger’s expansion to the eastern half of the United States, according to company officials.

The company estimates the expansion will create 275 jobs.