First look at massive In-N-Out slated to open in OC’s sprawling $1B outdoor mega park project

A first look at the highly anticipated In-N-Out coming to Irvine’s sprawling Great Park shows the burger joint looking nearly ready to start flipping Double-Doubles — as the surrounding former military base undergoes a staggering $1-billion transformation.

New drone footage posted to Instagram by Orange County realtor Tina Tan gives a birds eye view of the fast food restaurant, where In-N-Out’s red and yellow signage has already been mounted on the white building.

“The signs are officially up and In-N-Out is coming soon to the Great Park in Irvine,” Tan wrote alongside the video, which has already racked up more than 9,000 likes. “The building is almost complete and this location is looking massive. Even the drive-thru line looks well designed and extra long, which honestly we are grateful for because you already know this place is going to get packed.”

The aerial footage shows the restaurant’s huge parking lot and drive-thru lane designed to accommodate 33 vehicles, according to documents from the city of Irvine’s planning commission.

Expected to open at the end of 2026, the In-N-Out will come in at 3,808-square-feet with a 500-square-foot outdoor patio, according to The Canopy’s website. However, rumors have swirled on Reddit that the chain could open as soon as September after one user claimed an employee at another In-N-Out tipped them off to the potential date.

The Animal Style joint will anchor part of “The Canopy,” a new 90,000-square-foot retail and dining destination that is currently under construction inside the Great Park in Irvine.

The Great Park development is part of Irvine’s enormous transformation of the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station into one of the largest public parks in America. Once fully completed, the Great Park is expected to span roughly 1,300 acres — significantly larger than Central park, which covers about 843 acres.

The burger mecca will be just one of the many big names headed to The Canopy, including Philz Coffee, The Taco Stand, H&H Bagels, SHOOTZ and Canadian Asian grocery giant T&T Supermarket, among others.