Man Floored by What In-N-Out Employees Do in Drive-Thru Line: 'Really Weird'
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A man visiting an In-N-Out Burger drive-thru got more than he bargained for when an employee prayed for him and was told by another that "Jesus loves [him]".
The original poster (OP) recounted her husband's story on Reddit, explaining that one of the employees at the restaurant in Carmel Mountain Ranch, California, had taken his order—and then prayed for him.
Confused, he then went to the next window to pay and was asked by a different employee, "Did anyone tell you yet today that Jesus loves you?"
An aerial view of an In-N-Out Burger restaurant on July 21, 2025 in Daly City, California.
An aerial view of an In-N-Out Burger restaurant on July 21, 2025 in Daly City, California.
Photo by"I realize In-N-Out is a Christian-owned company with Bible verses on their stuff, but in all my years of being alive, I have NEVER seen that, or heard of that happening before," the OP noted.
"No hate to Christians or people just trying to do something nice, but... wtf?"
She continued, "I'm sure this is just the actions of the individual employees and not mandated by In-N-Out. I'm just saying it's weird."
Reddit Reacts
More than 3,100 Reddit users took to the comments to weigh in, and many were as puzzled as the OP.
One wrote, "That's really weird. I've never experienced that in my 35 years. I wonder if it's new?"
Another added, "With how long the wait time is in the drive-thru, that's ridiculous."
"There are a few at the Carmel Mtn location that do that," one Redditor pointed out. "Even if you're a religious person, it's awkward and inappropriate to do to people in a drive-thru line."
'Cringey and awkward'
In a message to Newsweek, the OP said she didn't mean to stir up controversy or "put religion down".
"I was simply curious if anyone else had ever experienced something like that there," she explained. "I know In-N-Out is a Christian company and they include Bible verses on their packaging, which has never bothered me.
"What surprised me was how much attention the post got. A lot of people agreed with me, but I also got a lot of trolling for even mentioning anything."
She added that her husband described the moment as "cringey and awkward, even if it was well-intentioned". A polite man, her husband allowed the employee to pray for him because "he didn't want to make it awkward."
'This really isn't about religion'
"What's gotten lost in the conversation is that this really isn't about religion—it's about boundaries," the OP told Newsweek. "Prayer, like anything personal, should be consensual.
"It's not the content of the message that's the issue; it's that the setting didn't exactly allow for a comfortable 'no', even to a nice, well-intentioned worker. That's what rubbed us the wrong way."
The OP noted she and her husband are natives of San Diego and don't plan to stop going to In-N-Out.
Other Burger Coverage
Burgers aren't as popular as they once were, especially among members of Gen Z. Experts told Newsweek that this reflects a growing focus on sustainability and health.
Still, companies are making an effort to keep the burgers coming.
McDonald's recently added a new burger to the Value Menu—the Daily Double burger, which comes with two beef patties, American cheese, shredded lettuce, slivered onions, mayo and tomato.
Newsweek's "What Should I Do?" offers expert advice to readers. If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work, and your story could be featured on WSID at Newsweek.
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, click here.
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