Burger Boss In-And-Out Continues To Thumb Nose At California Vax Mandate

In-N-Out Burger in California apparently isn't requiring proof of vaccination, fines be darned.

According to an "investigative report" from CBSLA Ch. 2/KCAL 9 in Los Angeles, In-N-Out didn't request proof of vaccination for indoor dining, as required by California law. It stands to receive fines of up to $5,000 if anyone with a bigger say in things than CBSLA finds out.

Not that In-N-Out burger necessarily cares. It can afford to break the rules as one of world's most noted burger chains.

Anyway, back to the report.

CBS political reporter Tom Wait visited multiple In-N-Out establishments on Tuesday "and found that it was business as usual, despite the fact that burger chain could face fines," the station's website reported.

Why a political reporter is doing an exposé on a fast food chain, we shall never know. But Wait, there's more.

"At no point, during any of the visits to five different locations, was Wait ever asked to show proof of vaccination, not while entering the restaurants, while ordering or even while sitting a table indoors," CBSLA wrote.

Of course, Wait wasn't really uncovering anything new. In-N-Out released a statement two months ago saying it would not honor the mandate and that anyone -- vaccinated or otherwise -- would be free to eat inside whenever they wished.

“In-N-Out Burger strongly believes in serving all customers who visit us and making all customers feel welcome. We refuse to become the vaccination police for any government," the statement read.

CBSLA reported that In-N-Out did not respond to a request for comment. Perhaps because it has already made its stance clear. It's not the restaurant's fault that some TV station that probably almost folds every four months is just now finding out about it."

“You have the right to eat here or not," CBSLA quoted a presumably satisfied customer as saying. "It’s their business, not ours. It’s up to them."

Written by
Sam Amico spent 15 years covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports and NBA.com, along with a few other spots, and currently runs his own basketball website on the side, FortyEightMinutes.com.