In-N-Out Enforces A Strict, Gender-Specific Dress Code For Employees

In-N-Out is hands-down the best American burger chain. Hailing from the West Coast, it prides itself on using fresh ingredients that raise the standard of fast food. Many celebs have professed their love for In-N-Out's burgers — including Anthony Bourdain, Gordon Ramsay, and even Prince Harry. That is In-N-Out through the lens of the customers, but what about through the lens of the employees? As it turns out, this iconic West Coast burger chain that's still family-owned has strict gender-based rules when it comes to the employees' dress code.

There are two uniforms at In-N-Out; the male one and the female one. The key distinctions between the two are mainly the hats and the shirts that the employees must wear. Men have to wear paper boat hats, while women have to wear baseball hats, with the expectation that the brim is in the front. The only occasion when men are allowed a baseball hat is if they're working outside and need protection for the sun. Both genders wear white shirts, but the type of collar differs for men and women.

In-N-Out is one of the three most religious fast foods, which some view as the reason for the gendered dress code. Although, to the chain's credit, it doesn't force the employees to dress against their gender identity. The dress code applies to the gender an employee identifies with, not the one that was assigned to them at birth. Still, if somebody identifies as non-binary, they do have to pick one of the gendered uniforms.

In-N-Out's old school fast food uniforms go beyond hats and shirts. Hair must be tucked into the hats for both genders. Unnatural hair colors are not allowed, nor are piercings other than earrings. Tattoos must be covered, and men also need to be clean-shaven. "I have a tattoo on my middle finger and they just expect me to cover it with gauze," shared one employee on Reddit. Some employees have gone as far as to take legal action against In-N-Out in response to its strict dress code. 

In 2015, In-N-Out banned its employees from wearing badges advocating for a salary raise, claiming the badges violate dress code policy. The case went to court, and in 2018 the Court of Appeals ruled in the employees' favor, confirming that the chain's ban of the pins was unlawful. In a statement reported by NRN, In-N-Out said, "We believe ... our customers would agree that In-N-Out Burger should be able to choose what our Associates wear as a uniform."

In 2025, another dress code lawsuit hit the company, when an employee sued In-N-Out for over $3 million. He was allegedly fired for refusing to shave his sideburns, which he considered a crucial part of his identity as a Black man. This came after he already altered his hairstyle so that it could fit under the paper hat. In-N-Out denies the sideburns were the reason for the firing. In January 2026, the case was moved to arbitration and is not yet resolved at the time of this writing.