In-N-Out Is Making A Rare Change To Its Iconic Burgers
In-N-Out Burger is making important changes to its classic menu items. In a September 8 Facebook post, the chain announced that, effective this year, its buns no longer include sesame flour in 10 states.
“Thank you SO much for updating your bun recipe ... My daughter finally has a safe restaurant to eat burgers and fries at and we couldn't be more thrilled.”
Around 1.6 million people in the U.S. have sesame allergies, meaning their only option was to order their In-N-Out burger "protein-style" if they wanted a fix. But now, In-N-Out gave sesame the boot in 10 states. In 2025, In-N-Out also changed its ketchup recipe, swapping high-fructose corn syrup for real sugar. It also replaced its iodized salt packets with sea salt packets earlier this year.
Fans offered positive feedback to the Facebook post. One user commented, "Removing sesame is a game changer for so many with allergies, including my family. How great to be able to put In-N-Out back on the list of options." Another stated, "Thank you SO much for updating your bun recipe... My daughter finally has a safe restaurant to eat burgers and fries at and we couldn't be more thrilled."
Why sesame flour is a Growing Concern
In-N-Out's decision to remove sesame flour is welcome for people with food allergies, especially as the number of products containing sesame flour has increased in recent years. Ironically, this is partly due to efforts to make these items safer for people with sesame allergies. In 2021, President Biden signed the FASTER Act. This bill identified sesame as a food allergen and required food manufacturers to clearly list sesame in their allergen ingredients starting in January 2023.
One of the unintended consequences of the bill was that many corporations began including sesame flour in products, rather than facing the responsibility of ensuring no cross-contamination. In a 2024 post on Instagram, Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) CEO, Sung Poblete, PhD, RN, criticized In-N-Out for its choices regarding sesame flour, stating, "We all know that the underlying issue is bakers adding sesame flour to plain products to avoid having to properly clean manufacturing lines."
In 2022, restaurants like Olive Garden and Chick-fil-A also began adding sesame to products that formerly did not include it, such as Olive Garden's breadsticks and Chick-fil-A's buns. In 2023, Olive Garden switched suppliers, and its breadsticks became sesame-free again, but Chick-fil-A still lists sesame as an ingredient in its white buns and its flatbread. However, you can order a gluten-free bun, which is sesame-free but costs $1.15 extra.
