The Portland area got a double-double of In-N-Out news in April, when the iconic California burger joint made moves on potential locations in both Beaverton, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. But instead of rejoicing over future fries (or even bemoaning future traffic), some locals dismissed the development: fool us once, shame on you. Fool us twice, we’re going to Burgerville.

It’s not the first time the area has come close to getting an In-N-Out of its own. Just this March, the chain confirmed plans to open its first Washington location in Ridgefield, a fast-growing Clark County town about half an hour out of Portland. After years of talk but no action on locations closer to the city, it felt a bit like being ghosted. And then spotting that would-be lover sharing an order of animal fries with someone else.

Except, did we really want to go out with them in the first place? The City of Portland has made its opinion on drive-throughs pretty clear, banning them in certain areas in 2018 to combat air pollution (and what would In-N-Out be without a Range Rover or two idling in line?). Bureaucracy chilled the restaurant’s budding relationship with Tualatin in 2020, though that was a hard time to get involved with anyone new. Zoning laws ended things with Beaverton in 2022. Hillsboro, it seems, just didn’t work out.

“I feel like I’ve read this story 3 times in the last 5 years,” one Redditor commented about In-N-Out’s renewed interest in a Beaverton outpost. “I’ll believe it when I see the sign,” said another. Vice president of store development Mike Abbate struck a more diplomatic tone, saying “we hope for a positive outcome” for the Vancouver spot (um, should Beaverton be jealous?).

Maybe this time will be different. Portland In-N-Out fans can only hope.