In-N-Out Burger in San Francisco was temporarily closed over city proof of COVID-19 vaccine requirement

After failing to comply with the city's proof of immunisation requirements, an In-N-Out Burger shop in San Francisco was forced to close temporarily earlier this month. According to Arnie Wensinger, At-N-chief Out's legal and business officer, representatives from the city's Department of Public Health shut down the chain's facility at 333 Jefferson St. in Fisherman's Wharf on Oct. 14.

Employees were told they were being shut down by public health inspectors because they weren't preventing clients who didn't have valid immunisation papers from entering, according to Wensinger.

The city's Department of Public Health issued a "final Notice of Violation and a Notice of Closure" to the In-N-Out store for failing to comply with the city's public health directive, according to a statement provided to The Times.

According to the city's statement, the property's owner was also issued a notice of violation.

According to the public health agency, “Since the Notice of Closure was issued, the business has taken steps to comply and has since resumed operations for outdoor dining and take-out only,”

According to Wensinger, the establishment "properly and clearly" placed posters informing patrons of local vaccine regulations, but public health officials advised employees they needed to "actively intervene" and demand evidence of vaccine and picture identification from every customer.

Customers who couldn't give proof of purchase and identification would be sent away, according to an In-N-Out executive.

“As a company, In-N-Out Burger strongly believes in the highest form of customer service and to us that means serving all customers who visit us and making all customers feel welcome,” he said. “We refuse to become the vaccination police for any government.”

Wensinger described San Francisco's requirement to "segregate consumers" into categories that can and can't be serviced excessive, invasive, and dangerous for employees.

“We fiercely disagree with any government dictate that forces a private company to discriminate against customers who choose to patronize their business,” he said. “This is clear governmental overreach and is intrusive, improper, and offensive.”

Meanwhile, the San Francisco Department of Public Health has stated that its enforcement activities are unaffected.

“Vaccines remain our best tool to fight this disease and come out of the pandemic,” the public health officials said. “Vaccination is particularly important in a public indoor setting where groups of people are gathering and removing their masks, factors that make it easier for the virus to spread. That is why San Francisco requires proof of vaccination for indoor dining.”

According to the statement, representatives from In-N-Out Burger were warned about the requirement several times, including during a visit on Sept. 24 following a complaint to the city's 311 line.

Inspectors returned on Oct. 6 and discovered that the Fisherman's Wharf facility had not complied with the proof of immunisation mandate, according to the statement.

“Since then, public health inspectors had attempted multiple times to bring the business into compliance with the health order,” officials said. “In-N-Out Burger had not complied by the time the final Notice of Violation and a Notice of Closure was issued.”