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Is In-N-Out Halal?

Short answer Not certified

No, In-N-Out is not halal certified. The chain buys beef from outside suppliers and grinds its own patties in-house, but it has never published a halal certificate or named a halal supplier [2][3]. HMS, a US halal certifier, lists it as not verified [4]. It has no permanent restaurants outside the US [1]. If you're unsure, ask a scholar you trust.

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Halal status by country

CountryStatusDetailsSource
United States Not certified No halal certification or halal supplier has been published. HMS, a US certifier, has not inspected or certified the chain. Beef is processed in company facilities from outside suppliers. [4][2][3]
United Kingdom Not certified No permanent restaurants; In-N-Out has only held one-day pop-up events in London. [1]
Canada Not certified No permanent restaurants; only one-day pop-ups in Toronto and Vancouver. [1]

Why In-N-Out is not considered halal

In-N-Out runs about 424 restaurants across ten western and southern US states, including California, Texas, Arizona and Tennessee [1]. Its menu is simple: burgers, fries, shakes and drinks.

The beef is the main question. In-N-Out buys beef from outside suppliers but does the deboning, grinding and patty-making itself [2]. It never freezes the patties, so every restaurant must sit within a day's drive of one of its processing facilities in California or Texas [2].

The company does not publicly name its beef suppliers [2][3]. News reports point to Harris Ranch in California as the main source [2][3]. Harris Ranch does sell a halal ground beef line, but there is no report that In-N-Out buys that product [3]. In-N-Out has never published a halal certificate, and the US certifier HMS says it has not inspected or certified In-N-Out [4]. For these reasons, HalalLookup lists In-N-Out as not certified.

What about other menu items?

If the beef is not an option for you, the rest of the menu is smaller than at most chains. Here is what to think about. These are general points, since In-N-Out has not published halal details for any item.

  • Grilled cheese. This is a burger with no patty, served with cheese, lettuce, tomato and spread. It avoids the beef, but ask whether it is cooked on the same grill as the patties.
  • Veggie burger (off the menu). Some people order a burger with no patty and extra vegetables. The same shared-grill point applies.
  • Cheese. In-N-Out has not said whether its American cheese is made with animal or microbial enzymes. Scholars differ on cheese made with animal rennet. See our is American cheese halal page.
  • Fries. Ask staff what oil is used and whether anything else is cooked in the same fryer.
  • Shakes. Ask about ingredients if you avoid certain stabilizers or flavorings. Our is gelatin halal page explains the different views on animal-based additives.

Does In-N-Out exist in the UK or Canada?

Not as a permanent restaurant. In-N-Out has held short, one-day pop-up events in cities such as London, Toronto, Vancouver, Dublin, Dubai and Sydney [1]. These events help protect its trademark rather than mark a real launch [1]. There is no halal statement for these events.

If you see a restaurant abroad with a similar name, it is not part of In-N-Out. The chain has taken legal action against several copycats in the past [1].

How to decide at the counter

In-N-Out restaurants follow one company-wide supply chain, so you will not find an independently certified halal branch the way you might with some franchise chains. Staff are unlikely to know the slaughter method of the beef.

If you want certainty, the simplest choice is to skip the beef. If you want to dig further, you can contact the company's customer service and ask whether any of its beef is halal certified and by whom. Ask for the answer in writing.

Halal burger alternatives

Many independent burger restaurants in US cities use certified halal beef. Among chains, compare our pages on Five Guys, Shake Shack, McDonald's and Smashburger. For background on beef itself, see is beef halal.

Frequently asked questions

Is In-N-Out beef halal?

In-N-Out has not published a halal certificate or named a halal beef supplier [2][3]. Reports say most of its beef comes from Harris Ranch, but there is no report that it buys that ranch's halal line [3].

Is In-N-Out zabiha?

No zabiha claim has ever been made. The company does not disclose its slaughter method or suppliers [2], and HMS says it cannot confirm the beef is zabiha [4].

Is In-N-Out halal in the UK?

In-N-Out has no permanent UK restaurants. It has only run short, one-day pop-up events in London [1], and none of them came with a published halal statement or certificate.

Is the In-N-Out grilled cheese halal?

The grilled cheese skips the beef patty, but ask whether it is cooked on the same grill as the beef. The cheese's enzyme source is not published, and scholars differ on rennet.

Sources

  1. In-N-Out Burger · Wikipedia · accessed
  2. Where Does In-N-Out Actually Get Its Beef? · Tasting Table · accessed
  3. In-N-Out Sources Beef From This Infamous California Ranch · Chowhound · accessed
  4. Is In-N-Out Halal? · Halal Monitoring Services (HMS) · accessed