There’s An Underground Market For In-N-Out Delivery, And It Isn’t Cheap

There’s a reason why In-N-Out chooses not to deliver, and to be fair, it’s a pretty good one. Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson, the chain’s owner and president, explained why during an interview at Pepperdine University:

“The main reason is part of what makes In-N-Out and the experience so special is the interaction and the customer service that we’re able to give, the smile, the greeting. Just that warmth and feeling of the culture. And so, the mobile ordering will definitely take a piece of that away, and there’s also the freshness factor.”

In-N-Out’s commitment to fresh, never frozen ingredients and made-to-order beef patties has helped earn it a place on countless “Best of” lists. But not everyone has the time or patience to sit in a drive-thru line that wraps around the block just to get Animal Style anything.

According to L.A. Material, a growing black market has emerged, with people paying premium prices to have In-N-Out delivered to their doors. Many of these unofficial delivery services operate through Facebook Marketplace, with some charging as much as $50, including the cost of the order. The report also notes that some drivers demand payment up front.

If you’ve ever used Facebook Marketplace, you know how unfettered the experience can be. Customer protections are limited, and sellers don’t have to undergo stringent verification. Like Craigslist, it’s the Wild Wild West of e-commerce.

And while the idea of having Animal Style fries and milkshakes delivered to your door sounds great, some customers have reportedly paid for orders that never arrived. There’s also the question of whether the food will even taste good by the time it gets there.

In a Reddit thread with more than 100 comments, fans wasted no time pointing out the short lifespan of In-N-Out food, with one person saying:

“unfortunately the ideal consumption time for a double double fries and a drink is sub 10 min. The half life of the food decays exponentially like a radioactive isotope of deliciousness. 20 min after prep it’s barely edible.”

So, if you come across one of these black market delivery services, waiting 30 minutes in the drive-thru might be the better move.