Contra Costa County's five In-N-Out Burger locations, flashpoints last fall in the debate over COVID-19 vaccine mandates for businesses, can now serve indoor diners again.
Contra Costa Health Services told KCBS Radio in an email on Friday that In-N-Out Burger can seat and serve customers indoors now that the county has lifted its mandate requiring indoor businesses to verify visitors' proof of coronavirus vaccination.
A department spokesperson told KCBS Radio that its Environmental Health Division notified restaurants across the county on Friday that they no longer need to ask for proof of vaccination. The county lifted its mandate on Friday, a day after 80% of all residents became fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
It's unclear when, or if, In-N-Out Burger's locations in Brentwood, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill and San Ramon will serve indoor diners again. The company didn't respond to KCBS Radio's request for publication on Friday night, while its website listed "Dine-In Unavailable" for all five restaurants.
County officials revoked the Pleasant Hill In-N-Out's commercial food permit in October for "creating a public health hazard" by "repeatedly" allowing indoor diners without checking for proof of vaccination. The restaurant was fined multiple times by the county for doing so, and its violations came to light after San Francisco officials barred the city's lone location from serving indoor diners over its refusal to enforce the city's proof of vaccination requirement.
A day after the Pleasant Hill closure, In-N-Out officials told Contra Costa County they would close all five locations for indoor dining. Repeating a statement he made a day prior to KCBS Radio, In-N-Out Burger Chief Legal and Business Officer Arnie Wensinger said the burger chain would "refuse to become the vaccination police for any government."
"We fiercely disagree with any government dictate that forces a private company to discriminate against customers who choose to patronize their business," Wensinger wrote in multiple statements to KCBS Radio that month, referring to San Francisco and, later, Contra Costa County's policies. "This is clear governmental overreach and is intrusive, improper, and offensive."
In-N-Out Burger, which touted its bipartisanship to liberal critics in 2018 after landing in hot water for donations to the state Republican Party, quickly became a favorite last fall of prominent figures in the national party who oppose vaccine mandates.
Former Vice President Mike Pence touted his visit after San Francisco closed indoor dining at the chain's Fisherman's Wharf restaurant, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis openly wooed the company to move its headquarters from California. Neither has ruled out running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
The Southern California-based burger chain has donated to Republican campaigns and political causes for years.
In-N-Out donated $40,000 to the California Republican Party in July, just two months before the unsuccessful recall election of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. The company also donated $50,000 to the Californians for Jobs and a Strong Economy PAC, which gives to pro-business Democratic candidates.
Newsom called In-N-Out Burger "one of our great, home-based businesses" back in October, saying he wouldn't "get caught up in the situation and issues" of its refusal to enforce local vaccine mandates.
"I encourage everybody to take seriously local health orders, and I encourage everybody to support businesses that support this state," the governor said at the time. "I appreciate that they're a headquartered, California-based company."
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