Lynsi Snyder, the billionaire president and owner of In-N-Out Burger, has reaffirmed that the iconic chain will never abandon California, even though she recently relocated her own family to Tennessee.

In an interview with actor Terry Crews that In-N-Out posted online, Snyder was asked how the company will preserve its California identity as it expands into more states across the country.

“This is where we started. It’s where we are now, and it’s where we will always be,” Snyder replied.

For a brand that trades heavily on its California roots, the remarks drew a clear line between the owner’s personal move and the company’s footprint—a distinction Snyder has now made repeatedly as speculation about a full exit has circulated.

Her grandparents opened the first In-N-Out in Southern California in 1948, and the company has since expanded gradually across the state and into other parts of the country. Though far from the biggest burger chain, In-N-Out retains a devoted cult following that has fueled its growth: customers who left California often make pilgrimages to new locations when restaurants open in other states.

Snyder, who grew up in Northern California, revealed last year that she and her family were moving to Tennessee, explaining that raising children in the state had become difficult and that “doing business is not easy” there either. The announcement sparked fears that In-N-Out itself might leave California, prompting the burger heiress—who is worth an estimated $7.3 billion—to clarify that her departure from the state did not mean the company would follow.

In a video posted to her Instagram page last year, Snyder told followers: “We’re not leaving California, or leaving our roots behind. Each one of our locations is here to stay.”

Her remarks come amid a broader corporate exodus from California to states such as Texas, where Elon Musk has relocated the headquarters of Tesla and SpaceX. In-N-Out has also clashed with state authorities, including when it refused to comply with officials and their request that customers show proof of vaccination to make purchases during the pandemic. The company also reluctantly raised prices after California imposed higher minimum wages for fast-food workers in 2024. Against that backdrop, a flagship California-born chain publicly committing to stay stands out.

During her latest interview, Snyder addressed the speculation directly, noting that In-N-Out maintains headquarters in both California and Tennessee.

“There were rumors about ‘they’re gonna close all their California stores.’ I’m like what where did this even come from? That’s unimaginable. I can’t even imagine that — dumbest business decision ever,” she said.

Snyder added that In-N-Out continues to grow in California, with “lots of stores” slotted for other cities in the state. At the same time, the company has expanded into Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado, Idaho, Washington and Tennessee. She suggested that Mississippi, Arkansas and Oklahoma are under consideration, with New Mexico also in the works.

Still, Snyder stressed that the company is taking a slow and steady approach to growth that will not compromise the quality of its food or her grandparents’ values, adding that In-N-Out will not be able to accommodate every request to open a new location. For readers tracking the rollout, the markers to watch are which California cities receive the “lots of stores” Snyder says are planned, and whether Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma or New Mexico become the chain’s next states.

As for her family’s own relocation to Tennessee, Snyder described it as “kind of a God thing.” She had originally wanted to move to Colorado because she loves the mountains, but her husband suggested Tennessee instead. Although the family had already made plans, she recalled that “something just kind of clicked.”

“I felt it and then started looking at it, just praying, and I’m like ‘I think you’re right. I think that’s where we’re supposed to go,’” Snyder said.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com.