A separate memo advised Oregon and California employees the chain would allow only store-provided N95 masks on the job.
“We believe this policy will also help to promote clear and effective communication both with our customers and among our associates,” the memo reads.
In-N-Out Burger did not respond to an inquiry placed through its media relations website. A customer service representative confirmed details of both memos.
It’s the latest instance in which In-N-Out has stirred controversy over coronavirus precautions. During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the chain’s sole San Francisco location was temporarily shuttered after it allowed indoor dining without proof of vaccination, according to reporting from the San Francisco Chronicle.
In nearby Contra Costa County, it closed five locations rather than comply with the county’s vaccine mandate, according to the Chronicle, which quoted executive vice president Arnie Wensinger calling the vaccine policy “unreasonable, invasive and unsafe.”
The company’s new mask policy comes nearly three months after the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and World Health Organization declared an end to the coronavirus pandemic in the United States. The virus has killed more than 1.1 million Americans since spring 2020. Fatalities and hospitalizations have declined significantly: There were 6,228 hospitalizations for the week ended July 19, compared with a high of more than 150,000 in January 2022.
Still, people with compromised immune systems remain uniquely vulnerable to the virus, and some still choose to wear masks or take other precautions to protect themselves or their families.
A Change.org petition which states that In-N-Out’s guidelines “endangers employees’ lives and discriminates against disabled and immunocompromised individuals” has attracted 1,520 signatures as of Wednesday afternoon.
In its memo announcing the new guidelines, In-N-Out said the point is to emphasize the importance of customer service while balancing concerns about health, safety and quality.
“Our goal is to continue to provide safe and customer-centric Store and Support environments that balance two things that In-N-Out is known for — exceptional customer service and unmatched standards for health, safety, and quality.
The company emphasized that it would continue to review the its rules in light of prevailing guidelines, and that the guidelines are subject to local regulations.
The guidelines for California and Oregon appears to already account for state requirements there. California has a law which specifies that employers must allow workers to don masks if they choose to do so.
The new policies take effect Aug. 14.