In-N-Out Burger beats Google, Apple as California's top employer for 2026: report
Fake cash scheme busted at In-N-Out
Glendale police arrested two women suspected of using counterfeit money at about a dozen In-N-Out locations across LA County.
LOS ANGELES - In a major shakeup for the 2026 job market, In-N-Out Burger has outpaced global tech giants like Google and Apple to secure the #2 spot on Glassdoor’s 18th annual "Best Places to Work" list.
What we know:
According to the 18th annual Glassdoor "Best Places to Work" list released on January 21, In-N-Out Burger secured the #2 spot in the "U.S. Large Companies" category.
With a 4.5 out of 5 rating, the Irvine-based company officially became the top-ranked employer headquartered in California.
In-N-Out Burger’s #2 ranking on the list marks its highest achievement in the award's 18-year history, officially establishing it as the #1 employer in California and the top restaurant chain nationwide.
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By outranking Silicon Valley heavyweights like Nvidia, Google, and Apple, In-N-Out has signaled a major shift in the American workforce, where the perceived instability of the tech sector—marred by "forever layoffs" and AI-driven anxiety—is being passed over for the stability and clear upward mobility of the service industry.
The 2026 data shows that while tech companies often lead in raw compensation, In-N-Out wins on the "stickier" attributes that define long-term satisfaction, such as:
- Career Certainty: In-N-Out’s structured levels of development provide a "no-ceiling" environment where associates can see a direct path to store management, a role that famously pays six figures.
- Leadership Trust: With a 92% CEO approval rating for Lynsi Snyder, employees cite a "people-first" culture that feels more resilient than the data-driven mandates currently causing morale dips in tech.
- Workplace Balance: Unlike the lean-staffing models of many rivals, In-N-Out is frequently "over-staffed" during peak hours to prevent employee burnout and ensure smooth operations.
Local perspective:
Based on the list, California-based companies remain prominent despite a decline in overall representation from Silicon Valley.
Of the 100 Best Places to Work (U.S. Large Companies), here are the California-headquartered companies and their rankings:
In-N-Out Burger (#2)
Glassdoor Rating: 4.5
HQ Location: Irvine
NVIDIA (#3)
Glassdoor Rating: 4.5
HQ Location: Santa Clara
ServiceNow (#7)
Glassdoor Rating: 4.4
HQ Location: Santa Clara
Google (#11)
Glassdoor Rating: 4.4
HQ Location: Mountain View
Lawrence Livermore National Lab (#12)
Glassdoor Rating: 4.4
HQ Location: Livermore
Intuitive (#20)
Glassdoor Rating: 4.3
HQ Location: Sunnyvale
Fortinet (#31)
Glassdoor Rating: 4.3
HQ Location: Sunnyvale
Cotality (#45)
Glassdoor Rating: 4.2
HQ Location: Irvine
Adobe (#48)
Glassdoor Rating: 4.2
HQ Location: San Jose
Intuit (#55)
Glassdoor Rating: 4.2
HQ Location: Mountain View
Palo Alto Networks (#62)
Glassdoor Rating: 4.2
HQ Location: Santa Clara
Apple (#77)
Glassdoor Rating: 4.2
HQ Location: Cupertino
Cisco Systems (#85)
Glassdoor Rating: 4.1
HQ Location: San Jose
By the numbers:
- 4.5: The Glassdoor award rating for In-N-Out Burger in 2026.
- #1: In-N-Out's rank among all restaurant chains and all California-based companies.
- 13: The number of San Francisco Bay Area companies in the Top 100, a steep drop from 23 companies in 2025.
Big picture view:
The 2026 rankings reflect a broader waning influence for the technology sector.
While tech still holds 24 spots on the Top 100, that number has been steadily declining from 31 spots in 2024.
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Glassdoor economists point to "forever layoffs"—small, rolling staff reductions—and increased pressure on productivity as primary reasons for dipping morale in white-collar industries. In contrast, "blue-collar" and service-oriented work are seeing a surge in satisfaction as they are perceived as less likely to be immediately supplanted by AI.
What they're saying:
The sentiment among In-N-Out employees centers on a culture of respect and growth. According to Glassdoor’s analysis of 2026 reviews, employees frequently mentioned supportive leadership, clear and diverse growth potential, and competitive pay for the industry.
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Regarding the shift in tech, Glassdoor chief economist Daniel Zhao noted, "This is part of an ongoing trend where many tech employers are trimming some of the things that made the job so appealing... They are pushing harder and harder on efficiency and productivity."
What you can do:
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The Source: This report is based on the 18th Annual Employees' Choice Awards released by Glassdoor on January 21, 2026. The rankings are determined by in-house calculations that analyze anonymous employee reviews submitted over the past year, focusing on factors like culture, compensation, and leadership trust.