Sun-Bernt! Sanders visits In-N-Out Burger in California - and even lets group of children eat all his fries - after rally in the blazing heat

• e-mail

Bernie Sanders checked an essential box in California today as he continued his mad dash across the state before Tuesday's primary: he ate an In-N-Out Burger along Highway 80 in the town of Pinole.

Sanders was a hit inside the California-based restaurant chain, especially with a group of small children who he greeted early on and invited to share his fries once his meal was served.

They eventually absconded with most of his side, but the 74-year-old senator didn't seem to mind.

Happy to be out of the 98 degree heat that beat down on the Democratic presidential candidate and his supporters in Fairfield half an hour before, he scarfed down a cheeseburger and took photographs with the fast food restaurant's young staffers before hitting the road again.

Scroll down for video 

Bernie Sanders checked an essential box in California today as he continued his mad dash across the state before Tuesday's primary: he ate an In-N-Out Burger along Highway 80 in the town of Pinole

A pint-sized patron who met Sanders in the restaurant earlier, Cobe, offered the senator a fry while he waited for his food. Sanders returned the favor later, sharing his food with Cobe and his friends

Sanders was a hit inside the California-based restaurant chain, especially with the restaurant's young wait staff

As Sanders entered the Pinole, California, establishment, he was met with fanfare from staff. 

He told reporters travelling with his campaign that it was his first time at the California staple before walking up to a booth of diners and introducing himself.

'How are you doing?' Sanders asked a little boy, identified by his mother Bettina Taylor told reporters as Cobe. Sanders spoke to Cobe and sister Nacha' and their two friends before taking his seat.

The U.S. senator spent a few minutes on his i-Pad until his food arrived.

His server told him, 'I'm not old enough to vote but I hope you enjoy your food,' eliciting a laugh from the presidential candidate.

As he finished his cheeseburger Cobe and his pals approached the senator at his booth, and Sanders offered them a few of his fries. A few minutes later, they came back for more, eventually eating most of his side dish. 

They were soon led out by their guardian, and Sanders departed moments later himself. 

Taylor told reporters before she left that she knows that 'everybody is for Hillary' but she'll likely vote for Sanders.

'I don't feel Hillary Clinton,' the former Arkansas resident said. 'I didn't feel her husband.'

Taylor said Bill Clinton didn't 'do a good job' when he was in office. Asked if she was voting for Sanders in the Democratic primary, Taylor said, 'I probably will. I think he's about the best thing running.' 

Sanders has been traveling up and down the state of California for the last two weeks, rustling up votes wherever he can find them, in hopes of upsetting Hillary Clinton in the populous state's Tuesday primary.

It's his last chance to overtake her in pledged delegates. Even if he can't do that, Sanders believes the momentum a California win would bring to his campaign could help him flip superdelegates into his column.

'How are you doing?' Sanders asked a little boy, identified by his mother Bettina Taylor told reporters as Cobe. Sanders spoke to Cobe and sister Nacha' and their two friends before taking his seat

Sanders ordered a cheeseburger and fries. He stayed just long enough to eat them, and then hit the road again

His operation has been hamstrung by a thinning of donations at a time when he needed to purchase air time in California's expensive media markets. 

It also cut down on the amount of air travel he could do in the final weeks of the campaign. Five other states vote on June 7 aside from California, but Sanders hasn't made it to any of them in the last two weeks.

Clinton hasn't visited them either in that time period, with the exception of New Jersey, which borders her home state of New York. It's her race to lose, though, as she's less than 100 delegates from securing the nomination when her superdelegate support is included in her tally.

Sanders spent his first full week in California in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. He's since moved on to San Francisco and its suburbs.

He held two rallies on Friday in Fairfield and Cloverdale and a press conference at the University of California in Berkeley. 

Two supporters passed out at the Cloverdale rally his campaign held outdoors at the local airfield in the 89 degree heat.

In Fairfield, in the middle of the afternoon, temperatures rose to 98 degrees as he spoke outdoors at the community college.

As he took the stage there, Sanders acknowledged the heat and said, 'You are a dedicated fierce group of people!

'See we're from Vermont, and we don't know about weather like this,' he said, acknowledging that he 'probably should have had the rally inside.' 

He later commented on the heat again as he spoke about the importance of clean water. 'Another issue with this warm bottle of water...it's going to start boiling in a minute,' he remarked.