Rand Paul Praises In-N-Out for Defying Vaccine Mandate: ‘Who Said Corporations Can’t Act Heroically?’

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) praised the popular fast food chain In-N-Out after the company defied San Francisco’s vaccine mandates, posting a picture of himself chowing down on a burger and asserting the company acted “heroically” by defending its position of refusing to discriminate against the unvaccinated.

“Who said corporations can’t act heroically? In-N-Out Burger clashes with San Francisco over vaccine mandate: ‘We refuse to become the vaccination police,’” he said in a tweet, posting an image of himself eating one of the iconic burgers:

The senator’s shoutout follows the San Francisco Department of Health shutting down the city’s In-N-Out over employees failing to check the vaccination status of customers. The city announced the intrusive vaccine passport mandate in August, requiring restaurants, bars, clubs, theaters, gyms, and entertainment venues to “obtain proof of vaccination from their patrons and employees in order for them to go inside the facilities.”

This does not include individuals ordering or picking up food or drink to go,” the city announced August 12, contending the order is “designed to protect against the continued spread of COVID-19, particularly among the unvaccinated, while keeping businesses open and helping to ensure schools remain open.”

The city shut the restaurant down on October 14, and it now only reopened its drive-thru option.

In-N-Out, however, has defended its refusal to discriminate against the unvaccinated.

In-N-Out Chief Legal & Business Officer Arnie Wensinger said in a statement:

We refuse to become the vaccination police for any government. It is unreasonable, invasive, and unsafe to force our restaurant associates to segregate customers into those who may be served and those who may not, whether based on the documentation they carry, or any other reason.

He added the company “fiercely” disagrees with “any government dictate that forces a private company to discriminate against customers who choose to patronize their business.”