In-N-Out Fans Turn to Taskrabbit and Facebook Marketplace for Unofficial Delivery

In-N-Out has built a devoted following on relatively cheap burgers, fresh-cut fries, and a no-frills experience that often includes a long line. But the California-born chain does not offer delivery, and that gap has spawned a thriving gray market in which customers pay independent workers to make the trip for them.

According to Taskrabbit, roughly half of all fast-food chain pickup requests on its platform across Los Angeles and Orange County are for In-N-Out alone. The demand has grown high enough that some people are advertising unofficial delivery services on Facebook Marketplace, and task-platform workers are turning those cravings into a side business.

The orders are not small. Earlier this year, a Hollywood customer posted what Taskrabbit described as a «small job»: «I need 150 In-N-Out cheeseburgers picked up and dropped off please :).» The company told Fortune that a local Tasker accepted and completed the delivery. Of all In-N-Out requests on the platform, 58% are booked for the same day.

One Reddit user told Fortune he hired a Taskrabbit worker to deliver 50 cheeseburgers to his San Diego wedding in 2022. The burgers were a late-night snack after the catered dinner, open bar, and dancing. With some of the roughly 100 guests expected to have headed home, the couple ordered 25 cheeseburgers with onions and 25 without for picky eaters. The task cost $68.47 through the platform, plus a few hundred dollars for the food, which the customer reimbursed at the venue. The worker also received a meal and a cash tip. The customer said the arrangement cost less than bringing in a food truck or another late-night vendor.

In-N-Out has drawn a firm line on delivery. Speaking at Pepperdine University this year, owner Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson said mobile ordering would take away part of what makes the chain special: «The interaction and the customer service that we're able to give, the smile, the greeting, that warmth and feeling that culture.» She also cited «the freshness factor,» noting that fries are cut in-store and cooked in sunflower oil, and are best enjoyed hot from the tray.

Independent drivers are filling the gap. Joe Alfaro, who lives in Oxnard, northwest of Los Angeles, began after a family member asked him to pick up In-N-Out for coworkers and offered to pay. After three calls in one week, he posted his own ad on Facebook Marketplace. Alfaro said he averages about six orders a day and charges a $20 delivery fee, up from an initial $10 as requests came from farther away, including Santa Paula and Ojai, which can be more than a 45-minute to an hour drive. «I'm still getting plenty of orders,» he told Fortune.

Aaron David, who lives in Hollywood, posted a Marketplace listing to test demand and said he received multiple inquiries within a couple of days. He was still getting set up and had not completed any deliveries when he spoke with Fortune.

The informal delivery market reflects the chain's unusual place in American food culture. Since Harry and Esther Snyder opened their first hamburger stand in Baldwin Park, east of Los Angeles, in 1948, In-N-Out has turned a burger run into something of a pilgrimage, with fans flocking to its not-so-secret secret menu and «Animal Style» burgers. For now, the company's refusal to deliver has left room for entrepreneurs to charge $20 to $30 for a trip that many customers are happy to pay.

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Connor Quincy

Technology Reporter

Connor Quincy covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Core Memo. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

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