In-N-Out Burger Forces California High School Football Team to Remove Photo Shoot

The Lincoln High School football team in Northern California was compelled to remove its media day photo shoot from the internet after In-N-Out Burger intervened, citing trademark protection.

The team, known as the Fighting Zebras, held their annual media day at a local In-N-Out restaurant. They subsequently posted a photo gallery and an Instagram reel showcasing behind-the-scenes footage of the event. The photos depicted players posing as if working at the drive-thru or register, intended to represent the significance of the fast-food chain as a regular gathering spot for the program.

The local In-N-Out manager had granted permission for the shoot, with the restaurant opening early to accommodate the team. A caption on the now-deleted Instagram post expressed gratitude to an In-N-Out representative for allowing the team to use their "favorite stomping grounds."

However, the team received an email from an In-N-Out trademark team member requesting the removal of the content. According to the email, reviewed by SFGATE, "The unauthorized use of our restaurant premises, signage, logos, or any other proprietary elements in your content may constitute a violation of our intellectual property rights."

The photographer behind the shoot, Glenn Silva, had hoped In-N-Out would retroactively approve the photos, but his request was not granted. One of the deleted videos had garnered over 600,000 views and approximately 26,100 likes.

In-N-Out Burger is a widely recognized fast-food chain, and the company maintains a strict policy regarding the protection of its brand and intellectual property.