(CN) — In a bizarre lawsuit, In-N-Out Burgers accuses an internet troll of fraud and trespass by impersonating its CEO, interrupting operations, demanding free food, tearing apart a customer’s hamburger and stomping on it, claiming it was “contaminated,” and filming the bogus scenes at two restaurants.
In-N-Out Burgers says defendant Cody Michael Roeder performed the stunts at its restaurants in Van Nuys and Burbank this month, and that he “operates on various social media platforms under the moniker ‘Troll Munchies.’”
The Troll Munchies YouTube channel, checked Thursday morning, states: “Hi! My name is Trollmunchies aka Cody and I love to make people smile and laugh where it’s my past gaming videos or my pranks and vlogs!”
In-N-Out claims in L.A. Superior Court that Roeder entered its Van Nuys outlet on March 13, “wearing business attire and claiming to be the new CEO of In-N-Out.”
He interrupted cashiers and cooks “under the guise of a ‘surprise visit’ from management,” demanded that cooks make him a cheeseburger and fries for “a taste test,” covertly filmed it all with help from Doe defendants, and left after workers objected to his presence, according to the complaint.
He repeated the charade on March 14 in Burbank, even more offensively, In-N-Out says, this time “blocking customers from ordering, and demanded to speak with the manager regarding the ‘contamination’ of all of the food.”
Roeder then “approached a customer, picked up his burger, and began pulling the patty apart in the middle of the restaurant, claiming it was contaminated.” When the manager asked him to leave, and told the customer he would get a new hamburger, Roeder “proceeded to throw the burger on the ground in the middle of the restaurant and step on it, telling the customer it was ‘garbage,’” according to the complaint.
Roeder could not be located for comment.
In-N-Out seeks more than $25,000 in damages for fraud, trespass, nuisance and criminal violations, and an injunction. It is represented by David Grossman with Loeb & Loeb.
Irvine-based In-N-Out Burgers has a faithful following of fast-food diners in California. One reporter for a Southern California newspaper told Courthouse News he was so impressed by its hamburgers he bought stock in the company.
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