Well not everything that comes out of California is completely backwards. One of the state’s famous exports, In-N-Out Burger, took one look at San Francisco’s city-wide COVID vaccine mandates and insisted the restaurant would not be looking into the vaccination status of its patrons.
Reportedly the San Francisco city government is not happy with the burger chain’s stance, and have actually attempted to close down one of the franchise’s San Fran locations.
According to a piece on Faithwire.com, this standoff between In-N-Out and the city started when the government was made aware that one of the restaurants in the area had been refusing to check if people were vaccinated or not before entering the store.
The franchise – owned by devout Christian Lynsi Snyder – insisted that it had been following city-wide COVID mandates by putting signs up insisting that only vaccinated patrons may eat at the establishment. However it would not be questioning people who entered the restaurant on their vaccination status.
They employed the policy on an honor system essentially.
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According to the report, when the city caught wind of this the “San Francisco Department of Public Health shuttered the location on Fisherman’s Wharf on Oct. 14, citing the restaurant’s failure to check patrons’ vaccination status, a violation of a city edict put in place in August.”
In-N-Out Burger’s Chief Legal and Business Officer Arnie Wensinger told Fox News that “local regulators informed us that our restaurant associates must actively intervene by demanding proof of vaccination and photo identification from every customer.”
Sounds a little invasive, doesn’t it? What’s more is that the Public Health Department was asking In-N-Out employees to physically bar entry for unvaccinated patrons.
So restaurant managers, cashiers and, perhaps in more desperate situations, fry cooks are supposed to be part of the city’s vax police? Hey man, someone’s gotta earn that $15 an hour.
But the company insisted it will not comply. Wensinger made it abundantly clear for the city of San Francisco: “We refuse to become the vaccination police for any government.”
The lawyer also described the local government’s efforts to coerce the burger joint as “clear governmental overreach,” adding that it’s “intrusive, improper, and offensive.”
Despite the daunting task of sticking it to an increasingly authoritarian government, both locally and nationally, In-N-Out’s people soon found out that they have plenty of support from like-minded Americans.
Big name conservatives, like Senator Rand (Paul R-KY)for instance, showered the restaurant with praise. On October 20, Paul tweeted a photo of himself eating at the restaurant. He captioned it, saying, “Who said corporations can’t act heroically?”
Who said corporations can’t act heroically?
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) October 20, 2021
In-N-Out Burger clashes with San Francisco over vaccine mandate: ‘We refuse to become the vaccination police’ https://t.co/caU4Bs7YKu pic.twitter.com/LZI5ppBFbP
Other conservatives like commentator Lauren Chen tweeted out support for In-N-Out’s fight, Chen wrote, “Yay, In-N-Out! Thank you for having principles and refusing to do the state's dirty work. If you live near an In-N-Out, please pay them a visit!”
“Also, the burgers are delicious lol,” Chen added.
Yay, In-N-Out!
— Lauren Chen (@TheLaurenChen) October 20, 2021
Thank you for having principles and refusing to do the state's dirty work.
If you live near an In-N-Out, please pay them a visit!
(Also, the burgers are delicious lol) https://t.co/RZDPwqmTA8
Well ,either way those burgers just got a little more delicious in our book. Stay strong In-N-Out!