In-N-Out Burger · Fast-Casual Food Packaging
Restaurantware-Bag Tek Burger Wrappers
Likely contains PFAS for grease-resistance. No brand disclosure available.
Burger wrappers typically use fluorinated coatings for grease resistance. In-N-Out makes no public PFAS claim or testing data available for this product.
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Material
paper/kraft with grease-resistant coating
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
Restaurantware Bag Tek burger wrappers are kraft paper with a grease-resistant coating applied to the food-contact surface. This coating prevents oil and moisture from soaking through, which is essential for holding hot, fatty foods like burgers. The specific coating chemistry is not disclosed by either Restaurantware or In-N-Out, but grease-resistant food paper typically uses fluorochemical compounds (PFAS) or, less commonly, wax or silicone. Without third-party testing or brand transparency, the composition remains uncertain.
The brand's record and disclosure
In-N-Out Burger has not publicly committed to PFAS-free food packaging or disclosed the chemical composition of its wrappers. The company does not advertise certifications such as FDA Compliant Non-PFAS or similar third-party verification. Restaurantware (the manufacturer) similarly maintains silence on PFAS content in its food-service products. Neither brand has faced a documented public recall related to PFAS migration from this specific wrapper product.
How it compares in its category
Most fast-food burger wrappers in the US market contain PFAS-based grease coatings; this product is typical, not an outlier. Some regional chains and premium burger makers have switched to PFAS-free alternatives (wax-laminate or silicone coatings), but these are less durable and more expensive. In-N-Out's wrapper choice reflects industry convention rather than a safety or sustainability commitment. If PFAS avoidance is a priority, commercially available PFAS-free food wrappers exist but are not standard in quick-service restaurants.
If you buy it
Use wrappers for their intended purpose: single-use wrapping of room-temperature or warm (not extremely hot) foods. Do not microwave food in these wrappers; heat may increase chemical migration. For occasional use (e.g., takeout at a restaurant), exposure is minimal and not a clinical concern. If you use them frequently for meal prep or storage, consider PFAS-free alternatives such as uncoated kraft paper, beeswax cloth, or silicone-lined containers for home use.
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.”
PFAS in grease-resistant coating
Fluorochemical grease barriers in food paper are a major source of PFAS exposure. Migration to fatty foods increases with heat and oil content; burger meat and cheese present ideal conditions. No independent testing of this specific product is publicly available.
Mineral oil or hydrocarbon residues in coating
Some food-service paper coatings include mineral oil or petroleum-derived compounds to enhance grease resistance. If present, these are considered low-migration under FDA guidelines but are not explicitly tested or disclosed for this product.
Microplastics or synthetic polymer breakdown
Kraft paper itself does not fragment into microplastics under normal use. The coating material is unknown, but if it contains synthetic polymers, degradation is unlikely during single-use food contact at ambient to warm temperatures.
Ink or print migration from wrapper surface
In-N-Out wrappers typically have minimal printing and use food-grade inks. No contamination or migration incidents are documented. Standard food-contact regulations apply; risk is negligible.
Allergen cross-contamination from wrapper material
Kraft paper and standard grease coatings do not contain common food allergens. Wrapper itself poses no cross-contamination risk; contamination would occur only from food handling, not the packaging.
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.