In-N-Out Sues YouTuber Following Offensive Prank Dressed as Employee

26 June 2025

YouTuber Bryan Arnett is being sued by In-N-Out for prank videos he filmed at its locations. @bryan.arnett/Instagram

In-N-Out Burger has launched federal legal action against YouTube prankster Bryan Arnett, accusing him of impersonating their staff and delivering a bizarre, profane show for unsuspecting customers. On April 25, dressed in a full In-N-Out uniform complete with the restaurant’s trademarked red apron, paper hat, and T‑shirt, Arnett entered closed Southern California locations and staged a prank video featuring fake menus and outrageous remarks. As the lawsuit outlines, he made sexually explicit jokes, fabricated health hazards involving cockroaches and condoms, and insulted customers with a racially insensitive "monkey burger" gag, claiming it came with a “damn‑near black bun”

One egregious moment occurred when an accomplice posed as a customer and pretended to open an order box only to find a cockroach. Arnett then quipped, “We’ve had a pretty bad cockroach problem this week,” in front of a genuinely distressed driver. Later in the same clip, he staged a condom dropping into a meal. In an even more lewd jest, he asked a customer “if they wanted their meal ‘doggy style’” a crude play on In-N-Out’s animal style option.

The April prank was not Arnett’s first run-in with the brand. Previous idea‑for‑attention stunts include paying in pennies and installing a fake “employee of the month” plaque with his own image inside the restaurant. In response, In-N-Out issued a formal cease‑and‑desist letter in early May.

In filing the lawsuit on June 20 in federal court, In-N-Out accuses Arnett of trademark infringement, defamation, and reputational harm. The concession seeks wide-ranging legal remedies: a lifetime ban from every one of the chain’s 418 locations across the U.S., seizure of profits from his videos, removal of all infringing content, and unspecified financial damages to cover brand harm.

Arnett, who boasts more than 600,000 followers on YouTube and Instagram, offered a dismissive response. In an online video now made private he admitted he anticipated the lawsuit and didn’t seem troubled by it. “I wouldn’t say I’m worried,” he remarked. “It’ll probably be annoying or whatever, but whatever’s gonna happen is gonna happen”

Analysts observe that In-N-Out aggressively protects its famously family‑friendly image. This lawsuit follows similar legal pursuits, including a 2018 lawsuit against another YouTuber. The company alleges that Arnett’s comments were not comedic gaffes but deliberately damaging acts designed to insult the brand and mislead customers about hygiene protocols.

For context, the company prides itself on consistency and cleanliness and rarely strays into legal action only doing so when brand protection is at stake. In-N-Out CEO Lynsi Snyder has expressed no tolerance for pranks that could lead to public outrage or operational disruptions .

Copyright and honesty in the digital age collide in this case. Trademark law is central: by wearing official uniforms and entering closed locations, Arnett falsely signaled that he was a legitimate staff member. In-N-Out’s sharp legal response highlights the increasing seriousness brands attach to impersonation and online image abuse.

As of now, the lawsuit is pending, awaiting formal court proceedings. If successful, In-N-Out could recover profits and secure permanent restrictions while setting a legal precedent for how far brands can protect their image from stunt-driven social media influencers.