Why In-N-Out Burger Removed Order Number 67 — A Look at a Viral Youth Trend

Introduction

In late 2025, a social media trend known simply as “6-7” gained widespread attention among teens and young people. The phrase spread across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit, and soon reached a point where it began affecting real-world spaces. One of the most noticeable examples came when In-N-Out Burger, a well-known fast-food chain in the United States, removed the order number “67” from its ticketing system in response to the trend and its effects on restaurant operations.

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At first glance, this decision may seem strange. A number used to track meal orders might not appear connected to youth culture or viral buzz. Yet the events around “67” illustrate how digital trends can influence everyday life and business operations. This article traces that path from meme to corporate response.

What Was the “6-7” Trend?

The “6-7” trend did not have one clear definition. It became popular as a slang phrase on social media, with users repeating the term in videos, captions, and captions combined with music. Much of its spread came through a song called Doot Doot (6 7) by rapper Skrilla, which features the phrase prominently in its lyrics.

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Another early connection emerged through NBA player LaMelo Ball, whose height is 6 feet 7 inches. Clips and edits linking the phrase to his stats helped boost the term’s visibility among sports and meme communities online.

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Over time, groups of young users repeated the phrase in different contexts. It gained enough traction that Dictionary.com named “6-7” its 2025 Word of the Year, highlighting how the combination of numbers and online usage can become a cultural marker even without precise definition.

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From Digital Meme to In-N-Out Counter

The connection between the meme and In-N-Out’s ticket system began on the ground. In the restaurant, customers order food and receive a ticket number. When that number is ready, staff calls it aloud or displays it on a screen.

Because “6” and “7” are separate order numbers, some employees at various In-N-Out locations noticed that groups of teens started gathering and filming when the number 67 was called, often shouting “6-7” and performing gestures related to the trend. Billions of views on TikTok and other platforms showed these reactions.

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Employees reported that the enthusiasm escalated to shouting, filming, and sometimes disruptive behavior that interfered with normal service. Videos circulated widely online, showing customers standing around counters waiting for the number to be called, phones at the ready, and reacting loudly when it happened.

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The situation became significant enough that In-N-Out decided to address it by removing the number entirely from its ordering sequence.

Why In-N-Out Skipped the Number 67

According to employee accounts and multiple media reports, the burger chain quietly removed the number 67 from its ticketing system. Instead of going from 66 to 68, systems simply skipped over 67. This change was made about a month before the widespread reporting on it.

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One In-N-Out employee explained in a viral video that the number was omitted because the trend had become such a distraction that it disrupted the normal flow of orders and service. In some cases, staff had trouble calling numbers and completing transactions while crowds reacted to video filming and shouting.

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Some locations also reportedly removed number 69 for similar reasons, although 69 had been retired in previous years due to its association with another internet slang term.

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How the Trend Took Hold Among Teens

Part of the “6-7” craze’s reach owes itself to participatory youth culture. Many teens shared videos and tagged friends in memes featuring the phrase. The trend wasn’t tied to a specific meaning — it was part of the humor itself. Its ambiguity and repetition contributed to its spread as groups adopted it as a kind of inside joke or performance.

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This type of trend fits into a broader pattern where simple phrases or numbers become collective markers online. Once a phrase is repeated enough times across platforms and users, it can take on life far beyond its origins. The result in this case was an effect not only online but also in physical restaurant spaces.

Business and Social Media: An Unusual Intersection

In-N-Out’s decision highlights a situation businesses may increasingly face: adapting to unpredictable social media-driven trends.

Unlike planned marketing campaigns or brand collaborations with influencers, the “6-7” trend did not originate with the restaurant. Yet it led to significant behavioral patterns among customers that the company had to address. Skipping a number in a ticketing system is simple in technical terms, but it also reflects a response to customer behavior shaped by digital culture rather than traditional consumer trends.

For In-N-Out, the change was a way to restore operational flow without drawing attention to the issue, although online coverage has made the decision public. It shows the challenges companies face in balancing customer experience, safety, and digital trends that are not tied to their products or services.

Reactions to the Change

Public reactions to the removal of 67 varied. Some observers noted the strange nature of a number being “banned” from a ticketing system due to online behavior, while others saw it as a reasonable step to reduce disruptions.

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On social media, responses included humor, disbelief, and commentary about how quickly digital culture can influence everyday situations. Some saw the move as an example of companies responding to youth behavior in real time, while others questioned whether social trends should affect business operations.

Whatever the response, the change has encouraged discussion about how viral culture interacts with brick-and-mortar experiences.

Similar Responses and Copycat Trends

The “6-7” craze did not only affect In-N-Out. Other brands and businesses noticed its popularity and, in some cases, leaned into it for marketing opportunities. For example, Wendy’s offered a promotion featuring 67-cent Frosty deals, turning the trend into a way to attract diners.

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Pizza Hut and other chains also used the number creatively in pricing or promotions, showing how social media buzz can be redirected into commercial efforts when businesses choose to engage with a trend rather than avoid it.

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These contrasting responses show different approaches companies take when dealing with cultural moments rooted in youth slang and online behavior.

Broader Cultural Context

The phenomenon reflects broader dynamics in how language and behavior spread among younger generations in the digital age. Terms, phrases, and behaviors often move horizontally across networks and resonate because they are shared experiences rather than clear statements with defined meaning.

While adults may see trends like “6-7” as confusing or meaningless, participants enjoy the shared culture and social connection that comes from repeating and remixing these phrases. This trend, like many others before it, shows how internet communities can shape social interaction in unexpected ways.

Conclusion

The removal of order number 67 from In-N-Out Burger’s ticketing system is an unusual footnote in how social media trends are influencing physical spaces. What began as a viral slang phrase spread across youth social networks became visible in restaurants nationwide, leading a well-established company to adjust its internal operations in response to customer behavior shaped by digital culture.

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This event highlights the fluid relationship between online trends and real-world effects, especially as digital communities continue to grow in size and impact. In-N-Out’s response illustrates how businesses may need to adapt to signals that originate far outside traditional marketing and customer feedback channels. The “6-7” trend shows that in a connected world, even a simple number can take on meaning far beyond its o