In-N-Out Burger Rejects Ron DeSantis Pitch to Move to Florida
Fast food chain In-N-Out will not be taking up an offer by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to set up a presence in the Sunshine State following a spat with San Francisco authorities over noncompliance with a COVID mandate.
In October, the chain's only restaurant in the California city was shut for several days after the company refused to adhere to rules requiring them to check customers dining indoors had proof of vaccination against the coronavirus.
DeSantis, who continues to wage battles against COVID mandates in his own state, made a pitch to the owner, Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson, for the chain to set up its headquarters, or open a restaurant in Florida, Fox 13 reported.
The chain is headquartered in Irvine, California and has 371 locations mostly across the Western U.S.
In a statement, In-N-Out's chief legal and business officer Arnie Wensinger said a "phone call was at the request of Gov. DeSantis and the primary purpose was to establish a business relationship.
"While we are thankful for the gracious invitation, In-N-Out Burger has no plans or intention to expand operations or move its corporate headquarters to Florida."
In October, the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) told Newsweek it had issued a final notice of violation and a notice of closure to the chain's outlet on Jefferson Street on October 14 for noncompliance with the city's Safer Return Together Health Order.
The restaurant reopened days later but only for takeaway and outdoor dining.
Wensinger condemned the closure and called the city's COVID requirements a move to "segregate" customers based on vaccine documentation, calling them "unreasonable, invasive, and unsafe."
"We refuse to become the vaccination police for any government," Wensinger said at the time.
It prompted Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis to tweet: "If California doesn't want @innoutburger then Florida will be glad to take them. In the Sunshine State we support our businesses!"
Patronis then sent a letter to the firm touting its business-friendly environment, Click Orlando reported.
"We won't chase you out of the state like California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez did to Elon Musk when she launched vulgarities at him on Twitter," he wrote.
This referred to the Tesla founder's suggestion that an insult from the lawmaker spurred him to shift his company's headquarters to Texas.
This week, DeSantis said he would continue his fight against the Biden administration's COVID-19 order requiring businesses with more than 100 staff to implement vaccine mandates or have unvaccinated workers get tested from January 4.
"Nobody, no cop, no firefighter, no nurse, nobody should be losing their jobs because of these jabs," he told a news conference.
Newsweek has contacted DeSantis' office and In-N-Out for comment.
