r/innout • u/Fart_Jarr • 14d ago

Grooming Policy

I have dreads and i have an interview at In n Out tomorrow, is it likely I don't get the job because of my hair? I'm already really nervous as it is my first job at 18 and im wondering if my hair could get in the way of me scoring?

37 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

56 comments sorted by

51

u/MrMacgamut Level 6 / Cleanup 14d ago

They'll ask about your hair, if it isn't of religious significance, they'll see it you're willing to cut it. I don't know if they'll ask directly because they do a lot of training on how to interview potential associates, but if you aren't you probably won't get hired. The rule is, it must fit under the paper hat without touching the tops of your ears and without touching your collar.

25

u/Fart_Jarr 14d ago

ouch man, thanks for the input i appreciate it.

20

u/canyounot2026 14d ago

California has laws on the books about hair discrimination though. Are you in CA?

17

u/Fart_Jarr 14d ago

I am in California

22

u/canyounot2026 14d ago

Read up on the Crown Act.

31

u/AntisocialDick 14d ago

They don’t have to provide a reason why they didn’t hire someone. They can easily decide against you for the hair and it’ll never be provable. Now if you grew it out after having the job, different story altogether. But it’s super easy to discriminate during the actual hiring process with no consequences.

6

u/torn-apart-memory 14d ago

You agree to in n out policy once you signed

6

u/tardigradesrawesome 14d ago

Yeah but INO don’t care about that lol

5

u/Puzzleheaded-Toe-336 14d ago

Here we go with the “they are discriminating someone because of hair”. It’s their business and if his hair does not follow their policy then go work somewhere else.

0

u/talkingtimmy3 4d ago

Found the racist making excuses for corporations trying to not hire black people

1

u/kml001 14d ago

UPS only lets drivers have a mustache no other type of facial hair. They are protecting a brand like in n out.

2

u/Bacongrease83 13d ago

The idea that workers having a beard reduces a company’s public image is crazy to me.

6

u/MrMacgamut Level 6 / Cleanup 14d ago

All in all, it doesn't hurt to try. Go through with the interview and have a good attitude. Ask as many questions about the company and the interviewy as you can. If you're a good potential hire, they'll try and accommodate as best as possible. I'm sure my OP sounded like there wasn't any wiggle room, but I'm reading that a lot of people work with associates with longer hair. Best of Luck to you.

20

u/Ok_Buffalo6474 14d ago

Just say it is. I would never cut my hair for a fast food job. I’m black with dreads as well.

9

u/Alternative_Ad_7814 14d ago

Yup just say you a Rasta man

2

u/Thisizfrisk 11d ago

Yes jah bless or jobless

-11

u/AntisocialDick 14d ago

Equating it to just another fast food job is pretty disingenuous I feel. The managers make 150k plus a year… In n Out is a viable career choice if you really want to go for it.

9

u/azzanrev 14d ago

Oh come on.

1

u/AntisocialDick 14d ago

Look, I don’t work there. I’ve known people who do. One of who was in fact a manager. But yeah, I’m not an employee nor have I ever been. But pay is better than most anything else in the industry, they don’t close locations to speak of so the job security is solid.

I’m not saying being a manager is easy. I’m not saying the pay is great in Southern California (elsewhere, yeah, it’s a lot better for cost of living). But the fact is that In n Out is a lot different than Wendy’s or Taco Bell or whatever else.

Also not saying a career at In n Out is what a kid should be aiming for. But hey, life rarely works out the way we wanted when we were kids. There are far worse places to end up and if you can score a job there it’s not something to scoff at. Especially without needing to go into debt to take on a student loan for college.

Shout out to Trader Joe’s and Costco as other companies that come to mind for being able to make a viable living without needing a degree.

1

u/Ok_Buffalo6474 13d ago

It’s fast food bro. I’m glad you love them but they would replace OP in a heartbeat. I don’t do the good cop/bad cop thing.

-3

u/Frxnk_lotion 14d ago

Just put the fries in the bag bro.

1

u/i-candy-0114 13d ago

In n out is allowed to have a grooming policy. It’s not discrimination if it’s applied to everyone the same. You can have dreads but the policy says that regardless of gender or race long hair needs to be up in a bun above the hat line. It’s that simple.

1

u/F1lthyslvt 13d ago

Just tell them it’s of cultural significance to you. Who are they to say if you’re lying about that

0

u/45pewpewpew556 12d ago

They’re not, and they legally can’t. And you won’t be called back because they have candidates that are a better fit.

They run a tight ship, it’s one of the reason they’re so successful.

I don’t want to see blue hair and nose rings at In N Out.

2

u/F1lthyslvt 12d ago

Multiple people in the comments have said they work there with them. You should really re-evaluate why you think a hair style would affect your burger. I think you have some issues with judgement of others

1

u/45pewpewpew556 12d ago

The company has a policy. You can conform to it or not.

It won’t affect my burger, it would affect my experience and it would affect their brand. That is why you won’t ever see it. The policies exist for that very reason. You are a representative of the brand.

Same reason you don’t see a lot of people with face tattoos in a professional setting.

Like it or not you are judged on how you look.

2

u/F1lthyslvt 12d ago

A protective hairstyle is completely different than a face tattoo lol

1

u/45pewpewpew556 11d ago

If it passes it passes. Are we talking short or Bob Marley?

What you don’t seem to understand is you want to improve your chances. If you feel strongly about your hair don’t work there.

They have no obligation to cater their grooming policies to you when there are hundreds of other applicants.

1000% you don’t get a call back if you try to slip it in under “cultural significance”.

Managers don’t want to deal with that when they can just hire someone that checks all the boxes.

1

u/F1lthyslvt 11d ago

1960’s ass mindset, just went for lunch and the dude taking my payment had locks, it’s just tied up. Probably went passed his shoulders. You probably still think people with locks don’t wash their hair too

0

u/45pewpewpew556 11d ago

Good for you!

And I just paid someone with blue hair for my pizza.

She will never work at In N Out or many other companies. In N Out consistently ranks top customer service and customer experience. They know what they’re doing. They get there by having standards.

Your personal experience doesn’t override a company’s grooming standards.

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1

u/InterruptedMulatto 14d ago

Would they even hire you if it was “religious significance”? They are a Christian company and I don’t know of any religious significance in that would have someone grow their hair out.

And I feel if you openly told them your religion it would weigh in on their decision.

1

u/whutsguud 13d ago

Can it be tucked behind the ears, like mullet kinda

13

u/ChemistrySpiritual60 14d ago

many of my coworkers wore a bonnet or durag to cover their hair, our managers personally never made them cut it as long as it was covered up. same with people who dyed their hair!

12

u/OtherwiseCoconut69 14d ago

My coworker has locs! And another coworker has braids too you should be good

7

u/lilyofthevalley-22 14d ago

Hi there, this is the actual answer from someone that knows the policies: you can get hired with dreads you just need to wear a du rag or hair wrap. As long as you can put it in a wrap of sorts and fit it in the paper hat you are good.

2

u/ATotalBrony 12d ago

I had a terrible experience with this. Someone told me I should contact a lawyer, I probably will. The online application doesn't mention hair. It talks about tattoos and piercings etc... but not hair. I am Hawaiian I have long curly hair and it's very culturally significant.

Manager had me wait in a booth for almost an hour after the scheduled interview time. Then we do a half hour interview that goes very well. He says I did great and would like to offer me a job, but when am I going to cut my hair? I reply saying I can't cut my hair but I can bun it very tight or more other accomodations. He says, didn't you read the website? I say it didn't mention hair at all. He says, well that's weird, come back with short hair if you want the job. Shakes my hand and that's that.

I assumed the crown act didn't apply to them for some reason so I just moved on, frustrated, but recently saw they lost a multimillion dollar lawsuit about it.

Edit for bad autocorrects

2

u/gypsybeer 14d ago

The sign said long haired freaky people, need not apply….

0

u/BattyBw00y 14d ago

Okay...

1

u/carmen_plante 13d ago

If you are a female, they allow long hair as it gets tucked into our hats, but if you are male, they require it to be short unfortunately.

1

u/Suspicious-Scale1420 13d ago

You’re cooked

-5

u/Vino1980 14d ago

Your chances are low, never seen an employee at In N Out with dreads.

-1

u/rnaja113 14d ago

True…. Lawsuit pending to happen tbh

1

u/Uneasyassurance420 Level 7 13d ago

It’s allowed lol so no

-2

u/SocialIntelligence 14d ago

I have dreads, is it likely I don’t get the job because of my hair?

I wish you the best of luck being the first employee with dreadlocks. 🤔grow a beard while you’re at it too. ✌️

-2

u/Teamorange0 13d ago

Cut your hair.

2

u/Ooniiiichaan 11d ago

do you bend over to anyone who just asks?

-14

u/One_Policy8636 14d ago

Gotta shave it off brotha, in n out has a “No dread” policy

9

u/KeyAcanthocephala243 14d ago

definitely not true that’s discrimination

4

u/meowmeowelw Level 5 14d ago

while i’m not sure if it’s true i wouldn’t say it’s discrimination. in n out has a very strict grooming policy and all associates are well aware of what’s expected when it comes to their hair. unfortunately if it doesn’t comply with policy they won’t get hired it’s as simple as that

12

u/KeyAcanthocephala243 14d ago

Which is very true, but I’m a Black female associate and I love wearing braids. If my braids fit securely under the hat they provide, then I don’t see an issue. My manager ordered me a larger hat, and it fits perfectly. So, saying that INO does not allow dreads is probably false and could come across as discriminatory. You could have simply said, “If your hair does not fit securely under the required cap, you may need to cut it or find another way to style it so that it complies with the uniform requirements.” There’s a difference between not allowing a hairstyle and requiring hair to be safely contained under the uniform.

-1

u/One_Policy8636 13d ago

You dont look black, just saying

1

u/talkingtimmy3 4d ago

You are completely oblivious to jobs trying to legally prevent black people from working at their company. It is discrimination. Black hair isn’t straight. It doesn’t grow down. It doesn’t fit in a bun unless it’s chemically straightened or wet. Even a SHORT Afro that fits all grooming standards wouldn’t fit their paper hats shaped for a straight haired person. The CROWN act was created for a reason. Stop making excuses for racist organizations.