Pleasant Hill In-N-Out Shut Down By County Health Officials

PLEASANT HILL, CA — In-N-Out Burgers in Pleasant Hill was shut down by Contra Costa County health officials over the restaurant's lack of enforcement of COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, the county said.

The fast-food restaurant on Contra Costa Boulevard was turning customers away Tuesday, according to multiple news reports.

Contra Costa Environmental Health confirmed it 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," county officials said in a statement emailed to Patch.

"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," Contra Costa Environmental Health Spokesperson Will Harper said in the email. "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."

Last month, Contra Costa County began requiring proof of full vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test "to enter indoor businesses such as restaurants, fitness centers, bars, entertainment venues and other indoor places."

"We refuse to become the vaccination police for any government," In-N-Out company executive Arnie Wensinger said in an Oct. 20 statement emailed to Patch about the shutdown of an In-N-Out restaurant in San Francisco.

"It is unreasonable, invasive, and unsafe to force our restaurant Associates to segregate Customers into those who may be served and those who may not, whether based on the documentation they carry, or any other reason," said Wensinger, In-N-Out's chief legal and business officer.

• SEE ALSO: Sizzling Controversy Over In-N-Out Burger ‘Vaccine Police’ Stance

The primary goal of enforcing the health order is to educate Contra Costa County businesses and residents about how to keep themselves and the community safe from COVID-19, the county said. 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, officials said.

In the case of the In-N-Out in Pleasant Hill, the county said the restaurant received four citations in recent weeks totaling $1,750, all for the same health order violation, before Tuesday's enforcement 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," Harper said.

In-N-Out can request an appeals hearing over the suspension of its Pleasant Hill restaurant and any of the fines incurred.

"The location must remain closed until the hazard is abated," the county said.

Elsewhere in Contra Costa County, In-N-Out restaurants in Pinole and San Ramon have received notices of violation for this health order violation, and on Monday the San Ramon location received a $250 notice of fine, according to county health officials.