Next time you’re in a little bit of a rush and don’t want to
spend an arm and a leg on lunch, ditch the Mickie D’s drive-thru and head
elsewhere. Many Americans, without even knowing it, have been dining at “fast
casual” type restaurants for the last couple of years. Places like Chipotle Mexican Grill and Blaze
Pizza are setting the standard for successful fast casual restaurants. They are casual eateries, where one can feel
comfortable eating by oneself and also watch their food being made right in
front of them.
Chipotle
has made a killing in the last couple of years, seeing as though the company is
now worth $16 billion. This is
attributed to a couple factors. Firstly, you can customize your food however
you’d like it, and you know that they’ll get it right because you are telling
them as they make it. No one tends to
like it when they open up a burrito from Taco Bell and find it smeared with
sour cream when they had clearly told the lady no sour cream!
What makes
it different and perhaps more appealing than places like In-N-Out, is the fact
that you can see all the various toppings and options. Visually looking at colorful and fresh ingredients
is a huge plus. Seeing is believing, and
you best believe that Chipotle and its customers know that already.
When one first holds a ridiculously
huge Chipotle burrito, the feeling is pure delight. Honestly, it makes any other burrito look pathetic. For around the reasonable price of $6.50, you
get major bang for your buck. Generally,
most entrées at sit-down restaurants tend to be a couple bucks more expensive
than your typical fast casual entrée.
Dining in
is also a nice experience. Chipotle
employees greet you with smiles while chanting “Welcome to Chipotle!”. The atmosphere is super cool and modern:
plywood and sleek steel furniture, giving it a light and refreshing look. Anyone would rather be spotting sitting in a
Chipotle during a lunch break rather than a Burger King, am I right? Trendiness
is a real biggie, and Chipotle has mastered it.
The biggest
upside may very well be the fresh, locally produced ingredients that are
pledged by most of these eateries. Chipotle calls it “Food With Integrity” –
they promise to only use meat and produce that hasn’t been altered by hormones
or antibiotics. Mentioning this on the
menu of each of its two thousand and something restaurant really helps boost
its reputation. Nowadays, where everyone
seems to be talking about the new “superfood” and why we should be
anti-industrialized agriculture, it is important that companies adapt in the
form of what they have to offer. After
all, being environmentally and health conscious is a very marketable commodity
in today’s society.
All of
these benefits have created a strong sense of consumer loyalty for Chipotle as
a fast casual brand. In fact, some
people seem to prefer waiting in the long twenty-minute lines during lunch
hour, rather then go to a fast food restaurant.
If they were in a hurry, they could just order on the Chipotle mobile
application on their phone and their burrito would be ready to pick up!
Overall,
this says a lot about American culture and society. We are noticing a trend of getting what we
want, exactly how we want it, and in the best way possible. Fast food used to be a large facet of
American life, and now we are seeing it slowly diminish and being substituted
with better alternatives. We are
constantly striving to do better, whether it’s for our health or the health of
our environment. Supporting restaurants like Chipotle indicates the evolving
nature of Americans and our diets.
I am a HUGE chipotle fan. I seriously could eat there every day. I have also noticed that this trend of fast causal is spreading across America. Places like tender greens and LYFE kitchen are encouraging families to spend time and eat together without spending a ton of money in the process. I have to wonder though: for people who eat fast food simply for the accessibility and price, do you really think the fast casual places are catching on? If I was the head of a low-income household, I would probably take my family to McDonalds where we could all order off the dollar menu rather than spend $7 per person for something that is a little more healthy. This is a sad truth, but for the people that should be upgrading to fast casual, I am not sure if it has really become cheap enough yet. And on top of that, I do think it needs to be said that some chipotle burritos can contain more than 1,000 calories, so in some instances, it may not be much healthier at all. However, I am in total support of the fast casual dining trend, and I really hope it continues. I think there is a huge opportunity on the horizon for companies to shift to tasty, health focused food, instead of what tastes good and is cheap to produce.
ReplyDeleteWonder if you think that eating healthy is a fad or if it here to stay. I think one of the main issues that confronts the American today is his poor appetite. These kinds of developments are obviously extremely positive. However I can't help but observe that the same people who pursue healthy diets also unscrupulously drink alcohol, indulge in medication and pursue other unhealthy activities. People don't do things just because they are healthy. Just to pile on the negativity there is also a classist problem when it comes to healthy food. Poor people can't afford good food, it's as simple as that. Thank god for farmer's markets, the way food has been distributed for centuries and they also offer low prices for good quality.
ReplyDeleteYou are speaking to my heart on this one. Whether it is breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or linner I want Chipotle. The increasing trend of this "fast casual" is undoubtedly a good thing. Even though our best food options are still homemade, I much rather have Americans eating healthy takeout than McDonalds. Due to Chipotle's success I think this will lead to more small business owners opening similar restaurants and trying to succeed in this emerging market. If consumers continue to demand healthy food alternatives it can only be good for the country overall. I strongly believe that the millennial generation will be one of the healthiest and fittest generations in America's history. We have grown up watching the health crisis in this country worsen, and it appears from perspective that we are actively trying to go down a different path.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I'm sorry but "perhaps more appealing than places like In-N-Out" is the most misguided statement I've read all day (and I've been glued to Fox News!) But truly, Chipotle has it right. The consumer gets to see exactly what goes into his meal, from ingredients to preparation. Food quality is high, portions are large and the prices are reasonable. Hell, you can even wash down your infant-sized burrito with a margarita at some locations (http://ir.chipotle.com/mobile.view?c=194775&v=203&d=1&id=1809114).
ReplyDeleteI am a HUGE fan of places like this that are considered the high class of fast. food. Chic-Fil-A is my sanctuary, and I am always down for some pumpkin muffies at Panera. Joints like this hit the sweet spot of the American stomach and heart: They're fast, delicious and staffed by exceptionally trained employees. I'm always going to be a fan of the mom-and-pops, but I do hope more franchises like this start popping up around the nation. Their care for customer health and satisfaction is genuine, not simply a PR stunt.
This is very interesting, because I have never heard the term "Fast Casual" before. I think that is the perfect description for restaurants that fit in the $5-$10 category. When contemplating where I am going to pick up food, I typically want to get something like McDonalds or Del Taco just to save money and be frugal, but the thought of consuming wasteful nutrients that are more detrimental than helpful usually makes me end up ordering Chipotle. Chipotle is reasonably priced enough that it is considered inexpensive, especially in a major city like Los Angeles. I get lucky when I go to a "quick" restaurant to pick up food and the bill is under $17. Yes, I know that $17 seems like a very arbitrary number, but I swear that every time I go to brunch or grab lunch it is $12 plus $3 for iced coffee, and then tax and tip. Having Chipotle so close to my campus is refreshing, not just in the taste, but also in the money break. Additionally, these "fast casual" restaurants are on the rise because of their mobile apps that make it even more convenient for busy people to just drop in and pick up their food without waiting in line. Out of all the restaurants I have experienced over the past 10 or so years, I think Chipotle is still at the top of my go-to list. Not only is it healthy, modern, quick, and cheap, but it also tastes great!
ReplyDeleteI raise contention with your claim that In-N-Out is somehow less cool than Chipotle. Regardless, I think we should give some credit where credit is due. The model of fast casual as you describe it, where customers see their food being prepped, can be tied back essentially Subway's founding in 1965. Although Subway lacks the trend of Chipotle or Pizza Studio, the premise is basically the same.
ReplyDeleteLife for these corporations is a marketing game. I throughly despise Chipotle's recent campaign to advertise how they kill their cattle in a more humane way than McDonalds. I can't help but think there's a certain paradox in their message. I'm not a vegetarian, and consequently am hypocritical, but advertising that the way you're killing animals still seems to have something awry in it.
It just annoys me when people think you can make character judgements based on what you eat, especially if that character is supplied by a corporation with a profit motive.
You are so right that consumers prefer the customer assurance received from places like chipotle. Their PR campaigns accurately portray the customer experience of fresh personalized food. One hinderance is the price. My chipotle burrito bowl is $9.24 (I get the same one every time.) I love it and my budget allows for it relatively frequently. However, this is the same price as dinner for a family of 4 at lower quality fast food restaurants. While Chipotle and other fast casual restaurants are cheaper than traditional sit down dinners, they are still not feasible for low income families who have the highest percentage of obesity in our nation. Until the market lowers prices to accommodate these demographics, Im not sure if it has really pushed our nation towards healthier eating.
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful that the rise of fast casual restaurants are giving rise to advocacy for ethically sourced food and pushing against GMOs, but I agree with Monica. Eating healthily (even just occasionally) is just more expensive than continuously eating junk. Even if Chipotle does value purchasing ingredients with integrity, the carnitas and sofritas they serve have more salt and seasoning than anyone would reasonably prepare for themselves at home, and though the large portions are tempting, they are simply too big for one meal.
ReplyDeleteI think that there is definitely some room for improvement in terms of preparation and portions. Another sector of the food industry that should probably be more scrutinized is the frozen food/TV dinner section. A lot of people go for it because it is cheap and easy, but also because they properly accommodate for single servings. I know that when I lived in an apartment with a kitchen, I often had trouble shopping for myself because everything was portioned for families for a week, and that stopped me from buying fresh produce (really, they were just the cut and cleaned salad mixes) because I didn't want them going to waste.
Oh wow!!! I've heard about Chipotle, I've seen Chipotle, but I've never tried it. I guess I'm missing out. If all that you've described above is true, than I'm about to go and check it out. I am not a fast food fan and the only places that I've tried are Chick-fil-A, In and Out and Habbit Burger. Some may seem me as a food snob, but it is more that I'm raised that way. I cook at home more often than I dine out. I see my health and well being more as a luxury and an investment than a given thing. I'm willing to earn and spend more money on a good food that keeps me well and healthy, than something that will satisfy my momentarious cravings.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that Chipotle is taking a step up and offering fast, casual while still some-what healthy meal options.
I am one of those people who believes that something is worth more if more effort is put into it, so I do not typically enjoy going to fast food restaurants at all. As Americans, we are so fast paced, I think sometimes we drive ourselves into the ground. If there is no time in the day to make yourself a meal (even a quick, simple one) and sit down and eat it, then I think there is a problem. However, I do sometimes go to places like Chipotle for food. I think places such as this can be a treat once in a while, but as you said, the burritos are ridiculously large, and many food places serve things like that, so if eaten too often, it can be problematic. I think customer service at some of these places is positive in that workers are polite and kind, unlike some really fast food places, like McDonald's, but again, maybe if we spend the time preparing our own food and taking time to live life instead of speeding through it, we will appreciate it more.
ReplyDelete