Erik Anderson waited 40 years for its arrival. Thirteen-year-old Adrian Nicholas and 17-year-old Wini Nicholas skipped school to attend the opening. Others camped overnight to be some of the first to get it.

The long-anticipated In-N-Out Burger in Orem opened for business at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday.

“This is the best day for Utah,” said Clarke Holdaway, a BYU business major from Huntington Beach, Calif. “It’s more of the California dream for Utah.”

In-N-Out is located at 350 E. 1300 South University Parkway in Orem.

It is open Sunday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10:30 to 1:30 a.m.

Crowds of people both in their cars and on foot came to the grand opening of In-N-Out.

The people that chose to get out of their cars stood in a line that went outside the building and halfway around In-N-Out, for about 30 minutes.

Those who decided to stay in their car had to sit in a drive-thru line outlined by orange cones that wrapped behind the shopping center complex.

“They have three grills in there and the stand is completely packed with people,” said Melissa Orosco, an In-N-Out Burger trainer from West Covina, Calif.

Some of the 85 employees working lunch walked the lines taking orders to help move the traffic along.

“We never really know what to expect,” said Eddie Metcalfe, the store manager at Orem’s restaurant. “We’re just prepared for it.”

Harry and Esther Snyder opened their first In-N-Out Burger in Baldwin Park, Calif. in 1948. They wanted to have fresh food for their customers and great customer service.

“Stores get delivery every other day to guarantee freshness,” Metcalfe said.

Now there are more than 140 In-N-Out Burgers located in California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah.

“In-N-Out was my high school hangout,” said Erik Anderson, who grew up in Covina, Calif. “It took them 40 years to follow me up here.”

Anderson has been keeping track of the building progress of In-N-Out in Orem from the beginning.

“I’ve come here taking pictures when they just started it to now,” Anderson said. “I’ve promised my wife that I’d only come twice a week.”

Others were enthusiastic about In-N-Out’s move to Utah.

“It’s been 20 years since I’ve had it,” said Tamyra Nicholas, 37, of Orem. “I walked in, smelled it and all my childhood memories came back.”

In-N-Out will have about 95 employees once the trainers and helpers for the opening leave.

“Saturday is going to be a big day,” Metcalfe said. “We are prepared and excited too.”