In-N-Out Burger · Fast-Casual Food Packaging
Custom Fast Food Wrappers and Sandwich Bags
Grease-resistant food wrappers often contain PFAS; In-N-Out discloses nothing.
In-N-Out's wrappers and bags use grease-resistant coatings typical of fast-food packaging, which commonly contain PFAS. The brand has made no public disclosure about PFAS content or safer alternatives.
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Material
Coated paper/paperboard with grease-resistant treatment
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
Category baseline
food packaging is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
In-N-Out's wrappers and sandwich bags are coated paperboard designed to repel grease and moisture without becoming soggy or leaking. The coating is the functional part and the likely source of PFAS chemicals, which are used in food-contact paper and board manufacturing specifically to create water and oil repellency. No public information confirms whether In-N-Out uses legacy PFOA/PFOS or newer, shorter-chain PFAS alternatives, or non-fluorinated barriers.
The brand's record and disclosure
In-N-Out does not publicly disclose wrapper materials, PFAS testing, or sourcing of grease-resistant coatings. The company has not signed pledges to eliminate PFAS from food packaging, in contrast to some competitors who have committed to phase-out timelines or alternatives research. No recalls or safety investigations specific to In-N-Out wrappers are on record.
How it compares in its category
Most conventional fast food wrappers use similar fluorinated coatings; In-N-Out's silence matches the industry norm of minimal disclosure. Some chains (Chipotle, others) have begun transitioning to PFAS-free barriers or compostable alternatives, though rollout remains incomplete. Unbleached kraft or paper with non-fluorinated soy-based coatings exist but are less common at mainstream fast food scale.
If you buy it
No special handling is required during normal use. Do not reuse wrappers for food storage or heating; the coating degrades under microwave exposure and intended single-use design means durability is not tested for reuse. If concerned about PFAS intake, limit frequency of consumption or request unwrapped options when available. Composting or recycling is acceptable; home disposal does not pose additional risk beyond the initial exposure from food contact.
Beyond PFAS: other things we checked
Established hazard classes for this product type, assessed from public information. These never change the PFAS grade; a Likely flag caps the Verdict at “Buy with care.”
BPA/BPS and bisphenol alternatives
No evidence in public records that In-N-Out wrappers contain BPA or its replacements; coated paperboard typically relies on fluorinated polymers rather than bisphenol chemistry for grease resistance.
Microplastics from coating breakdown
Synthetic polymer coatings can degrade mechanically during handling, storage, and contact with hot greasy food; minute particles may migrate into food, though migration rates and particle size from this specific product are not documented.
Bleach residues (chlorine byproducts)
In-N-Out's paper source and bleaching method are not disclosed publicly; standard paperboard manufacturing typically uses chlorine-free or elemental chlorine-free bleaching, which minimizes dioxin risk in food contact, but confirmation is unavailable.
Ink migration from printing
No recalls or studies specific to In-N-Out wrapper inks are on record; food-contact printing inks are regulated under FDA guidelines, and outer-surface printing poses minimal direct food-contact risk on single-use wrappers.
Adhesives and barrier layer components (non-PFAS)
Polyethylene or other synthetic adhesives used to bond wrapper layers to paper can leach under heat or prolonged contact; composition is not publicly specified by In-N-Out, and migration potential under normal use (ambient or briefly warm food) is expected to be low.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 45% confidence. It is not a lab result.
No independent PFAS lab test is on record for this exact product. A lab test could move the score in either direction.
The brand has not made a specific, verifiable PFAS-free statement, so part of this score reflects that missing disclosure rather than a confirmed material.
Formulations and coatings change between production runs. Always check the current label before buying.
More fast-casual food packaging grades
How we score: every product runs through the same public 0–100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.