Lynsi Torres, heiress to In & Out, is the mystery billionaire behind the burger joint.

Torres, 30, was an unlikely person to take over the franchise – at least not at her current age. Yet, a set of family tragedies found the company square in her lap. First, the original heir to In & Out, her uncle, died in a plane crash in 1993. Her father Harry Guy Snyder, the next in the line of succession, succumbed to a drug overdose in 1999. It was in 2012, six years after Torres’ grandmother passed away that she gained half ownership of the company through a trust. She’ll gain control of the other half in five years, when she turns 35.

Thrice married, Torres’ s current husband is Val Torres Jr. with whom she shares her great passion for drag racing. She recently purchased a sprawling mansion in San Gabriel Valley at the high price tag of $17.4 million that includes an indoor batting cage, where she lives with her twins.

In & Out is a relatively small chain, yet manages to do an incredibly solid business with its 280 units. It’s uncertain what Torres will do when she gets full control on the company, having no college degree or management experience. “It’s an open question whether she may have different feelings later,” said Gordon. “Like most kids, or second or third generations of a very wealthy family, I don’t know that she has restaurant blood in her veins, or if she’s a trust fund baby.” If she’s looking to sell, Warren Buffet, who suggested he’d like to own the chain in 2005, might still be interested.

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