The ‘final countdown’ is here for Meridian’s In-N-Out Burger. Here’s the traffic plan

Idaho is breathlessly awaiting its first In-N-Out Burger — and it shouldn’t be much longer.

The iconic, California-based chain hasn’t announced a date yet. But the opening at 3520 E. Fairview Ave. in Meridian is “down to the final countdown,” according to a Wednesday memo sent by The Village at Meridian to its tenants and businesses.

The Village is “preparing and anticipating” that it will happen in the next two to three weeks.

Village management also expects increased traffic and lines. (Easy now, Idaho. Try not to drive “animal-style.”)

So help is on the way from the burger-chain mother ship.

In-N-Out will bring into town more than 200 “All Star” team members, the memo says, “whose primary role within the company is to grand open new stores. In-N-Out is currently and actively opening six new stores, which includes this location in Meridian. This All-Star team is well practiced at planning and orchestrating grand opening traffic management plans.”

The Village has been in “protracted discussions with In-N-Out, the City of Meridian, Ada County (ACHD) and the State of Idaho (ITD) reviewing the traffic and line management plan, all of which are comfortable with the strategy and plans that are being put into place,” according to the memo.

“To minimize the impact on our existing parking lots and traffic flow, we have developed a plan where In-N-Out will be staging and stacking cars on what have been unused dirt lots along the west side of the property. These four large dirt lots, which have been unused for years, have recently been paved to accommodate the stacking plan to avoid long single-file lines as you may have seen on the internet related (to) other restaurant openings.”

With both seated dining and drive-thru customers, In-N-Out is expected to help drive business to other Village at Meridian tenants.

The Meridian store is the first of three planned In-N-Out Burger locations in the Treasure Valley. Plans are moving forward for a Boise restaurant at 140 N. Milwaukee St. near Boise Towne Square mall. And earlier this year, a building application was submitted to the city of Nampa. That store would be at 16225 N. Marketplace Blvd., where TGI Fridays used to operate in the Treasure Valley Marketplace, according to previous Statesman reporting.