On Tuesday, In-N-Out Burger in Pleasant Hill was shut down by Contra Costa County Health after it suspended its commercial food permit for what they say was creating a public health hazard by repeatedly violating a county health order intended to reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission.
In-N-Out Burger in Pinole and San Ramon have also received notices of violation for the health order and San Ramon received a $250 fine.
Here is the Statement from Contra Costa Health Services:
Contra Costa Environmental Health (CCEH) today suspended the commercial food permit of In-N-Out Burger, 570 Contra Costa Blvd. in Pleasant Hill, for creating a public health hazard by repeatedly violating a county health order intended to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Despite repeated notices of violation and fine, this business continued to permit indoor dining on site without verifying the COVID-19 vaccination status or recent, negative test result of customers.
Restaurants and some other indoor establishments in Contra Costa where the risk of COVID-19 transmission is elevated are required by county health order to perform this verification for all customers using their indoor spaces who are 12 or older.
In Contra Costa County, the primary goal of health order enforcement is to educate businesses and residents about how to keep themselves and the community safe from COVID-19.
Most businesses do comply with pandemic safety requirements, but the county has an ordinance that includes a progressive citation structure for businesses that repeatedly violate them.
The Pleasant Hill In-N-Out location received four citations in recent weeks and fines totaling $1,750, all for the same health order violation, before today’s action.
CCEH suspended the permit because the business was not in compliance with all applicable state and local health and safety regulations, and so posed an immediate health hazard to the public.
In-N-Out restaurants in Pinole and San Ramon have also received notices of violation for this health order violation, and on Monday the San Ramon location received a $250 notice of fine.
In-N-Out may request an appeals hearing regarding the Pleasant Hill location’s permit suspension and any of the fines incurred. The location must remain closed until the hazard is abated.
24 comments
Here’s an idea: we go where we want based on our own risk assessment. Back off. Im sure we could come to your ‘county health’ operation and find hundreds of violations. Marxists still have to eat.
You want to play politics with peoples lives?
If I go into the restaurant it is with the understanding that they are doing their job so that I am safe. Clearly they were not with four violations.
95% of covid 19 deaths have 4 or more co morbidities if you’re scared of the disease that’s your right. But heart diseases kills more per year than covid not to mention smoking but you can still pick up a pack of smokes at the store and buy cheese whiz by the barrel it’s called personal responsibility.
Start messing with In and Out and it’s the health of the health officials that’s going to be at risk.
Strictly a power play by govt. They are picking on In ‘n Out because it’s impossible to enforce this ridiculous regulation and ask business to turn away customers. Let individuals decide on their own risk tolerance. This isn’t sound safety regulations according to science, this is govt power-hungry over reach!
Some folks think the rules don’t apply to them.
Soon, we’ll need to do more than just protest.
Run em out of here like the rest of the good folks you already have. So glad I left that f11cked up area. Keep rubbing a few nickles together for that dollar that will never come.
I hope in and out and other business fight! It is not the businesses’ responsibility to police who is vaccinated!
Hang in there, In-N-Out! Don’t let these BIG BROTHER types intimidate your company! Stand up to them! They have no right to shut anyone down! Fight them with everything you have! Lots and lots of people support you.
To In-N-Out Burger management: Give the CC Health idiots the finger! Open your place and let people eat. How did they force your places to shut down? Send the marshals? Sheriff? Have your lawyers go to a judge and file cease-and-desist orders! Don’t let these jerks bully you around.
Simple fix for this inexplicably popular burger chain. Close the indoor dining area and do drive thru only!
That’s not the point, LOVEABLE! In-N-Out has a huge following and it might not be about the food! You eat at HABIT and I’ll eat at In-N-Out! OK?
No great loss – the food is mediocre anyway. Want a really GOOD burger? Go to Habit Burger.
This State is run by an idiot! Nice work folks.
That’s just terrible that the employees of a burger joint don’t want to look at peoples pictures of fake vaccine cards on their phone. The lunacy reaches new heights everyday.
It looks like many of the commenters don’t know how viruses work or the law, either. Get some education, stop wasting your time making stupid comments.
You’re the one making the stupid comments, David! Viruses have been here before the dawn of man.
In these times of over-reaching governments, it is time for civil disobedience from the people and businesses.
Of course In-N-Out is right…pity the poor moron who doesn’t understand that. And…the poorer small business owner who doesn’t have the resources to stand up to the little tyrants.
All you fatties crying because they are closed. 🤣
What “rules” are you referring to, GOOD?
I called the In-N-Out corporate offices. They told me they plan to appeal these decisions by the health department. I suggested they just file lawsuits against the HD and the County.
The ONLY time one’s commercial food preparation and serving can be suspended is if unsanitary conditions are found on the premises such as rats, cockroaches and other vermin or extremely unsanitary says of food preparation. What did the County health people do? Chain the store’s entrances? If so, then they should open the place up using heavy duty bolt cutters and start serving food. DO NOT USE ANY APPEALS! Take them to court! You can always move ALL your businesses to another state which won’t put up with this nonsense! It’s amazing how many businesses are leaving California!
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