In-N-Out Burger is removing sesame flour from its buns and replacing iodized salt packets with sea salt, changes the California-based chain says reflect its commitment to quality, though not every loyal customer agrees.
The company, which operates in ten states, announced the two ingredient changes on Tuesday. Fox Business reported that the sesame flour removal reverses a 2024 decision to add sesame to buns at select locations. That earlier move came after the federal FASTER Act, a law that designated sesame as a major food allergen, exposed restaurants to potential lawsuits and recalls if they failed to label sesame-containing products properly.
In-N-Out framed the changes as part of a broader push to improve what it serves. The salt swap and sesame removal follow a separate move earlier in 2025, when the chain pulled high-fructose corn syrup from its ketchup and replaced it with real sugar.
Reaction online split along predictable lines. Customers with sesame allergies celebrated. One Facebook user wrote that the change was "great news," saying a sesame allergy developed years ago had kept the customer away from In-N-Out. Another called the sesame removal "a game changer for so many with allergies including my family," adding that In-N-Out was now back on the list of dining options.
The salt change drew sharper criticism. Iodized salt has been a staple in the American diet since the 1920s, when it was introduced to prevent iodine deficiency and conditions like goiter, a swelling of the thyroid gland. One Reddit user mocked the swap: "Remove iodine? Sure, because apparently goiters needed a comeback."
Others focused on taste and texture. A Reddit commenter called the salt change "a downgrade," arguing that iodized salt "sticks to the fries better." A Facebook customer noticed the difference even before the formal announcement, writing: "I enjoyed your salt more before the change, which I noticed a while ago when the crystals got larger. It used to be so silky smooth."
In-N-Out has not explained why it switched from iodized salt to sea salt. The company also did not say whether the sesame flour removal was made specifically to accommodate customers with allergies. That silence leaves customers guessing, and, in some cases, grumbling. The chain's latest ingredient overhaul is drawing attention precisely because In-N-Out has built its reputation on a short, simple menu that rarely changes.
In-N-Out released a statement that leaned heavily on brand language without addressing the customer pushback directly:
"We remain committed to serving our Customers with the freshest, highest-quality food possible. Over the years, we've made meaningful changes to our ingredients, and this past year was no exception. We're pleased to share our latest updates, and we'll continue building on that commitment for years to come."
That kind of corporate polish is standard fare. But when customers are asking pointed questions about iodine deficiency and fry texture, a vague pledge to "quality" does not settle the debate. In-N-Out has long positioned itself as a chain that prizes freshness and simplicity over the processed shortcuts its competitors use. The company's quality-first philosophy has been central to its brand identity for decades.
The sesame story has a regulatory backdrop worth understanding. The FASTER Act added sesame to the list of major food allergens that manufacturers and restaurants must disclose. In 2024, In-N-Out responded by adding sesame flour to its buns at select locations, a counterintuitive move that other chains also adopted. The logic: by deliberately including sesame and labeling it, a restaurant avoids the risk of an undisclosed trace amount triggering a lawsuit. Now, by removing sesame flour entirely, In-N-Out appears to have found a way to eliminate the allergen rather than simply label around it.
Whether the chain tested a sesame-free formulation or shifted suppliers remains unclear. The company's statement offered no detail on the process behind either change.
In-N-Out's devoted customer base is famously loyal, and famously vocal. The chain's expansion beyond California in recent years has only widened the audience paying attention to every menu tweak. For a brand built on the promise that nothing is frozen, nothing is microwaved, and the menu stays simple, even a salt packet swap becomes national news.
The open questions are straightforward. Does In-N-Out's sea salt contain any iodine? Has the company consulted nutritionists about the switch? And did the sesame removal apply to all locations, or only the select stores that added it in 2024? None of these questions received an answer in the company's announcement.
For allergy families, the sesame change is a genuine relief, and a reminder that federal regulation, whatever its intent, can produce strange results when companies game labeling rules instead of reformulating. The fact that In-N-Out ultimately chose to remove the allergen rather than hide behind a disclosure label is a better outcome for consumers. The split among loyal fans over the salt swap, though, shows that "quality" means different things to different people, and a company that won't explain its reasoning invites the criticism it gets.
Customers who trust a brand enough to eat there three times a week deserve more than a press release. They deserve an answer.