Unofficial delivery transactions for In-N-Out delivery services are spreading across Southern California, despite the popular fast-food chain not offering official delivery options.
Some private delivery operators are demanding excessive fees of up to $50 in addition to the cost of the food, while prepayment scams where customers never receive their food are also occurring, raising concerns among consumers.
According to reports from KTLA on the 12th, private drivers offering to purchase and deliver In-N-Out food via online platforms such as Facebook Marketplace are actively operating throughout Southern California. Consumers are paying extra to comfortably enjoy representative menu items like the Double-Double burger, Animal Style fries, and milkshakes at home.
In-N-Out does not provide any services linked to major delivery platforms like DoorDash or Grubhub, based on its policy of valuing food freshness and the brand’s unique customer service experience.
Lynsi Snyder, the owner and CEO of In-N-Out, recently reaffirmed her opposition to introducing online ordering. Snyder emphasized that the key elements making the brand and in-store experience special are direct communication with customers and high-quality service, stating that mobile or online ordering methods would diminish these precious values.
However, critics point out that the corporate headquarters’ strict no-delivery policy is paradoxically fueling a shadow, unofficial delivery market. KTLA reported that some drivers are demanding up to $50 in delivery fees on top of the food price.
In particular, because these services often require upfront payments along with extra fees, the risk of falling victim to a scam is high. A reporter who directly tested the service transferred funds in advance using the mobile payment app Zelle, but ultimately never received the food. The driver who promised delivery cut off contact and vanished immediately after confirming the deposit.
Meanwhile, In-N-Out, which started in 1948 as a small drive-thru restaurant in Baldwin Park, California, has grown into a representative fast-food brand of the American West. Currently, it operates over 400 stores across 10 states, with the majority concentrated in California.
Snyder CEO has made it clear that there are no plans to transition to franchising, but new corporate-owned store openings continue steadily. Recently announced new store openings in California include Chino on Pine Ave., Commerce on Telegraph Ave., South El Monte on Santa Anita Ave., and Stockton on Trinity Pkwy.
