Chipotle was really good…. when they were boutique’ish, individually styled kitchens, serving up fresh goodness. But when you expand the way they did, from 16 stores in 1998 to over 3700 in the U.S. today, templates must be put in place for food safety measures, which inevitably fade the flavor.
The timing couldn’t have been better for CEO Brian Niccol’s when he came in and implemented online and app ordering, right before the COVID-19 Pandemic. 60% of their orders were mobile during that time, but that temporary lift only masked the issues brewing behind the glass counter.
Here’s the conundrum they find themselves in … they blew up but continue the same messaging based on the original artisan feel of the food, and it has resulted in every Brand’s worst nightmare -the dreaded I-word. Yes, folks, “Inauthenticity”.
They are pretending that they’ve not become fast food. Don’t tell me that “everybody loves” your Carne Asada, I’ll be the judge of that. Oh wow! Do you make your guacamole daily? Well, if you didn’t, it would oxidize and turn brown, so whatever… Sorry!
McDonald’s (which invested $360 million into the chain) does it right. Their food tastes awesome, they drill a nice jingle into your head, and most importantly, don’t try and pretend that their Filet of Fish is fresh caught or that their lettuce and tomatoes are farm-to-table. Taco Bell doesn’t claim to be authentic Mexican cuisine or that their beef is not shot out of a caulking gun. Both are caricatures of real food, and they don’t shy away from it. But Chipotle continues to play the same record they did when they were a fraction of the size, and it’s got Pico de Gallo all over it, impeding the connection to the needle.
They can:
a) Swap the “we’re so totally fresh” marketing with, for example, images of friends scarfing out, and then end it with a tag like, “Chipotle.. make it a great day”. Maybe sponsor a guacamole wrestling match or a celebrity burrito sack race. Do something, anything other than preach about high standards (we don’t have any, trust me).
Or
b) Cut the chain in HALF and stick to their roots.
They cannot, however, have it both ways.
