Bigass In-N-Out Opens at BLVD Mall on The Strip, Cue Outsized Hoopla

By Scott Roeben, on June 14 2026
4 min read 0 comments
Las Vegas Las Vegas Restaurants

Devotees of In-N-Out burgers have a new reason to celebrate. On June 9, 2026, a long-awaited location atop the BLVD shopping complex (on the site of the former Hawaiian Marketplace) opened, accompanied by a requisite but somewhat inexplicable explosion of publicity.

You don’t have to get it! In-N-Out fans get it. And BLVD really, really needed to get it.

Unlike with other In-N-Out locations, this one has some challenges ahead. Let’s bite into them, shan’t we?

In-N-Out is to burgers as Lego is to precision-molded interlocking modular brick elements.

If you’re unfamiliar with In-N-Out, it’s a burger chain with a lot of brand equity.

The chain was founded in Baldwin Park, California in 1948. The first In-N-Out in Las Vegas opened on November 17, 1992. There’s a whole history on the In-N-Out Web site.

Excerpt: “1972. One of founder Harry Snyder’s favorite movies, “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,” features characters racing to find treasure buried under four palm trees planted to resemble the letter W. Because each In-N-Out store is Harry’s treasure, a tradition of planting crossed palm trees in front of most In-N-Out locations begins.”

It’s gusty atop BLVD. Hang on, you two.

In-N-Out built its reputation on a simple formula: burgers, fries, shakes, fresh ingredients, no freezers and no microwaves, along with a not-very-secret “secret menu” that lets guests order things “animal style” or “protein style.” It’s a whole thing.

For a burger “animal style” means the patty is mustard-grilled, then topped with pickles, extra spread and grilled onions. For fries, they’re topped with melted cheese, grilled onions and spread.

“Protein style” means the burger comes wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun. It’s mainly for the criminally insane.

In-N-Out pays well compared to other fast food restaurants (wages start at $18.25, Nevada’s minimum wage is $12), and the high level of service is proof of the quality employees they get.

The typical In-N-Out manager makes more than $160,000 a year, about 115% more than the national average. They can make even more with profit-sharing and bonuses. We don’t even make that much, and we are a national treasure.

In-N-Out employees are almost always young, pleasant and upbeat. Disorienting.

The In-N-Out at BLVD is the 19th location in Las Vegas. Which, you’d think, would’ve made this opening a nothing burger. Well, you thinked wrong. It was the biggest story of June 2026, if you ignore the opening of Vanderpump Hotel. Which you shouldn’t. Because you can actually get to Vanderpump Hotel.

See, the new In-N-Out is in a fairly inaccessible spot. It’s three floors up in this confounding mall, and perhaps most concerning, it has no drive-through. In restaurant terms, “yikes.”

It’s estimated the typical In-N-Out makes about 60-70% of its revenue from drive-through orders.

Given that’s not a thing at the new outpost, that means business falls to foot traffic. A good number of people walk by BLVD on the Las Vegas Strip, but it remains to be seen if they stop to grind, or whatever the kids are calling it now.

Here’s a look inside In-N-Out on a Friday night, opening weekend.

As if that weren’t obstacle enough, you have to pay to park at BLVD. It’s $14 for the first two hours (plus a $1 “screw you” fee). It’s almost as annoying as the constant calling of order numbers on the P.A. system.

Behold the reason we will never return to BLVD.

BLVD is fairly new, and features mostly higher-end retail stores. Those aren’t your typical In-N-Out customers.

This scenario has more red flags than a Russian military parade.

In-N-Out obviously doesn’t share our concerns, because they built a huge restaurant. In fact, the BLVD venue is the chain’s second-largest in the country, a whopping 8,000 square feet. Yes, it’s been widely reported this is the biggest location, but other news outlets tend to be staffed by what are known as “knuckleheads.”

The biggest In-N-Out is in Barstow, California.

The BLVD location can accommodate 170 people indoors, plus another 50 on the adjoining 2,500-square-foot terrace, which will provide guests with spontaneous melanoma during Sin City’s summer months.

Why all the chatter about this new In-N-Out? First, it was announced two years ago, so there’s been a build-up in anticipation. Second, it’s dirt cheap eats compared to other Strip restaurants. The narrative around pricing has whipped a lot of visitors into a frenzy recently. Third, it’s only the second In-N-Out on The Strip. The other is at Linq Promenade. (Of course we broke the story, thank you for asking.) That location prints money, even without a drive-in. Then again, it gets a lot of foot traffic.

Here’s a look at the prices.

Props to In-N-Out for avoiding sticker shock.

In-N-Out has done an amazing job of marketing without marketing. The company just lets word-of-mouth do all the heavy lifting.

Not all the chatter is positive, of course. In-N-Out’s fries take a hit. The solution: Order the fries light well. It will change your life.

In-N-Out hasn’t been without controversy, of course. The company puts out subtle evangelical Christian messaging, including Bible verses on its packaging. You’re likely to see “John 3:16” on drink cups, “Nahum 1:7” on burger wrappers, “Proverbs 24:16” on fry containers and “Revelation 3:20” on other packaging.

Don’t get mad. Las Vegas is all about believing things for which there is no evidence.

We believe in the separation of church and fast food, but few are so offended they’ll pass on In-N-Out’s deliciousness as a form of protest. Even if you cringe at the subtle proselytizing, you’re ultimately throwing the packaging into the garbage at the end of your meal, so there’s that.

The biggest disappointment at In-N-Out is that when they’re announcing customer order numbers, they refuse to say “69” over the P.A. system. Rude.

The new BLVD In-N-Out opens at 10:30 a.m. each day, and closes at 1:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

The newness of the BLVD location, along with the over-the-top coverage of the opening, will no doubt keep the lines long for the short term. What happens in the coming weeks and months bears watching. Not just In-N-Out, but BVLD itself, one of the biggest gambles on The Strip since CityCenter, just across the street.