In-N-Out Sues YouTube Prankster Who Allegedly Posed as the Company CEO

In-N-Out is taking legal action against a man named Cody Roeder, after the YouTube host entered two locations pretending to be the burger chain’s new CEO. This month, Roeder entered a Van Nuys and Burbank In-N-Out and demanded a quality control test from employees before being promptly asked to leave the premises.

According to the Long Beach Press Telegram, In-N-Out is seeking monetary compensation in addition to a restraining order, which will keep Roeder from entering any In-N-Out restaurant. Roeder typically creates prank videos for his YouTube channel Trollmunchies.

In a now deleted video, Roeder allegedly entered a Van Nuys restaurant on March 13, introducing himself as the company’s new CEO. A skeptical manager called the police after Roeder requested food. Roeder left the premises, but allegedly went to a second location in Burbank on March 14. During this incident, Roeder allegedly asked why employees had not received an email about an important health issue. The lawsuit states that Roeder “Approached a customer, picked up his burger, and began pulling the patty apart in the middle of the restaurant claiming it was contaminated.”

Roeder can be heard on camera telling customers and employees, “All of this is unsanitary, most of this is dog meat. Sir, sir, I hate to say this, but your food is contaminated. This is just, it’s garbage.”

If Roeder violates the restraining order, In-N-Out attorneys want the Southern California Superior Court to charge him $1,000 fine per violation of the order, which In-N-Out believes caused “significant and irreparable harm” to the chain. The Southern California-based company is seeking damages of more than $25,000, and In-N-Out believes Roeder is profiting from the stunt.

In-N-Out knew about Roeder, and informed other locations after the first incident. Roeder also recorded recent pranks at Taco Bell, but those videos appear to have been deleted.

• In-N-Out Burger seeks restraining order over YouTube prank [Press Telegram]
• Why In-N-Out Is the Greatest Road Trip Burger [ELA]