Fan Details Post-Oscars Run-in with Michael B. Jordan at In-N-Out, Admits He Stole the Actor's French Fries (Exclusive)

Jordan GreeneMon, March 16, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTC

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Tom Whitfield with Michael B JordanCredit: @megatrontomdj -

A fan visiting Los Angeles ended up at In-N-Out near the Oscars and unexpectedly ran into Michael B. Jordan just hours after his big win.

Tom Whitfield says the restaurant “erupted” when the actor walked in, continuing a long-standing post-Oscars tradition.

The moment came after Whitfield had spent over an hour outside the ceremony hoping to spot celebrities before heading to the burger spot.

A late-night stop at In-N-Out Burger turned into a moment Tom Whitfield says he’ll never forget.

Just hours after Michael B. Jordan took home an Oscar at the 2026 Academy Awards, the actor kept a long-standing Hollywood tradition alive by visiting the popular fast-food spot near the Dolby Theatre — where Whitfield happened to be waiting.

He says the entire restaurant erupted when Jordan, 39, walked in.

“I absolutely lost my mind. The whole place erupted,” Whitfield, 40, tells PEOPLE. “I'd known of previous Oscar winners traditionally going to the nearby In N Out burger but never actually thought it would happen. Especially as we had waited nearby for 90 minutes to see if we could catch a glimpse other stars leaving. The timing was priceless.”

Although the moment felt spontaneous to those inside the restaurant, Whitfield says it appeared the staff may have been prepared for the actor’s arrival. Some customers also wondered whether the Sinners actor had paid for other people’s burgers, but Whitfield says he wasn’t able to confirm that.

“Not that I'm aware of. His order looked ready made, so I definately think they were given notice.”

Even with the excitement in the room, Whitfield says the actor stayed friendly and relaxed while interacting with fans.

“He was very friendly, humble and gracious with everyone who interacted with him. I said "congratulations Mike, and he said "appreciate you brother" then as he got up to leave I managed to get a fist bump.”

For Whitfield, the unexpected encounter turned what was supposed to be a simple late-night stop into a once-in-a-lifetime Oscars memory.

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He said in an Instagram post that he had been visiting Los Angeles when he realized his trip happened to overlap with the awards show, and on the night of the ceremony he found himself near the Dolby Theatre hoping to catch a glimpse of celebrities leaving the event. After waiting around for a while, he and a friend decided to grab food at the nearby In-N-Out — not realizing the timing was about to line up perfectly.

"Today we decided to go down Melrose and had an amazing day just exploring the area, eating food and doing random things here n there. We decided to get the bus to Amoeba records before going home, when en route we saw the security surrounding the Oscars. Then followed In N Out Burger and I made the impulse decision to get us off the bus and go explore the area, just to see if we could sneak a peak of anyone leaving the Oscars.

We got nearby to a fence near the Dolby Theatre, where I few people were waiting to see anyone leave. What followed was endless anticipation of people being whisked past us in luxury golf carts, whilst talking to other eager onlookers."

Michael B. Jordan, winner of the Best Actor Award for “Sinners”Credit: Mike Coppola/Getty

After more than an hour of waiting, Whitfield said they caught brief glimpses of a few stars before deciding to call it a night and grab some burgers.

"We managed to get a brief glimpse of Teyana Taylor and Nicole Kidman as they scooted by us within 4 feet. We then waited over an hour to see if any other A-Lister would decide to use that exit and it wasn’t to be."

That decision ended up putting them in exactly the right place at the right time.

"We decided to head to In N Out before heading home. What followed was one of the most insane things I’ve ever experienced. The timing, absolutely perfect. Meeting a major Hollywood star, a Best Actor Oscar Winner, within a couple of hours of it happening. Starstruck. Totally awesome. Then we stole his fries.

When in LA."

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”