Pulse of the FFA - How big a mistake did Chipotle make here? (3 Viewers)

[Slapdash]

One last thought on the matter:

I was far more insulted back when they started charging for guacamole.

Yep. Eleven bucks for a ####### burrito is the real insult.

I eat at Chipotle about once a week. The only way you're paying $11 for a burrito is if you get double meat and guacamole and chips.

Yes, you have to get "double" meat for a normal portion.

how big a boy are ya?

Not big at all, just not a lot of meat if you don't let the put massive portions of rice and beans on.

 

[McGarnicle]

At this point, burritos are as American as hamburgers and generic restaurant chains. I've never thought of Chipotle as a "Mexican" place. Nor Moes, or Qdoba. Nor do those places make any effort to identify with Mexico in their branding.

I disagree slightly. On the "ethnic" continuum, it hasn't yet gotten to Pizza Hut levels yet (i.e., absolutely no ties to the ethnicity of its underlying food). I'd still keep it in the Irish pub camp.

I would agree with you, if Chipotle even bothered to put a sombrero or a cactus in their signage. Most Irish pubs jam it down your throat with the Irish flags, soccer on TV, Guiness and Harp on tap, etc.

I gotta say, something just doesn't sit well with me, and I'm having a hard time putting my finger on it. I think it just might be that every Chipotle I've ever gone into appeared to be staffed entirely by Latino men and women. Now, maybe that says more about the American workforce today, but I don't think so. Chipotle cooks, servers, and cashiers do look different than cooks, servers, and cashiers in McDonalds, Burger King, and even Taco Bell.

Again, it's not a huge deal. Right? But just. . . I don't know, kind of stupid not to at least ask the 100 Years of Solitude guy to write something on the back of a napkin.

Around here there are Latinos working in every fast food place you can name.

Same here, except at Chipotle it's 90% late teens/early 20's white kids.

 

[RUSF18]

Their bigger issue which not many people seem to have noticed and/or care about is that the calorie information they post is complete bull####.

They're not accurate? How so?

J

What they present as the bottom calorie range for their "burrito" is literally a bean-filled tortilla. I doubt anyone has ever ordered that. Then you have serving size issues. I think they include an ounce of sour cream or cheese or whatever in their calculation when what they give you is much more.

Then things like "seasonality of ingredients"...

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/07/19/restaurant.calories.off/

According to the Tufts lab analysis, Chipotle's burrito bowl with rice, black beans, peppers, onions, lettuce, green tomatillo salsa and cheese had 703 total calories -- 249 more than what was expected based on information from the restaurant's website.

In a statement, Chipotle acknowledged there could be calorie differences between what's posted on its website and what's served to customers because of "the seasonality of ingredients, adherence to recipes, and cooking from scratch."

Here's a couple more speaking specifically on Chipotle:

http://www.vox.com/2014/4/25/5653390/chipotle-s-calorie-labels-are-a-lie

http://midtownlunch.com/2008/04/21/basic-math-blows-holes-in-chipotles-absurd-calorie-range/

 

[McGarnicle]

When I do hit Chipotle for lunch, I try to make it a late lunch and then skip dinner. One of their burritos has got to be 1000+ calories, and I'm pretty damn full after eating one.

 

[BassNBrew]

Wow, I'm the only "huge mistake" vote. In a perfect world no one would care, in this world you do what's necessary to keep the pc crowd happy and eating your burritoes.

 

[ConstruxBoy]

Wow, have we really gotten this sensitive or run out of real things to offend us? Goodness.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Honestly, some people live to be offended.

Oh, and let me point out a few of the titles of the 'offended'

"Irvine Valley College English professor Lisa Alvarez "

"As Celtic Chicana author Anna Marie McLemore"

Who would these critics nominate to be featured alongside Sarah Silverman and Bill Hader?

Who in the latin/hispanic "community" is making queef and effete clubber jokes these days?

 

[ConstruxBoy]

Their real mistake is seemingly always putting their least competent employee at the beginning of the line. The beginning of the line should have the second most competent employee after the cash register employee. Drives me crazy.

 

[El Floppo]

Out of curiosity, who are the leading "Latino/a writers" that they could have chosen?

I am far from being a literary-guy... but Marquez and Allende jump to mind.

 

[fantasycurse42]

Thought this was about guns:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/05/20/chipotle-asks-customers-to-leave-assault-rifles-at-home/?tid=hp_mm

 

[Dentist]

why even do this? Just put your chipotle label on the cup and be done with it.

If there is one thing I've learned in business.. it's that if a decision doesn't have the opportunity to increase your sales, brand awareness, or brand loyalty .. and might even have a 0.1% chance of inciting ill will from a few people that it's a bad choice.

Printing this stuff on the cups seems like a 0 or -EV situation.. so i put down slight mistake.

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

Their real mistake is seemingly always putting their least competent employee at the beginning of the line. The beginning of the line should have the second most competent employee after the cash register employee. Drives me crazy.

End of the line burrito roller is way more important than the person that steams the tortillas.

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

why even do this? Just put your chipotle label on the cup and be done with it.

If there is one thing I've learned in business.. it's that if a decision doesn't have the opportunity to increase your sales, brand awareness, or brand loyalty .. and might even have a 0.1% chance of inciting ill will from a few people that it's a bad choice.

Printing this stuff on the cups seems like a 0 or -EV situation.. so i put down slight mistake.

This is clearly correct. Starbucks sometimes puts stuff to read on their cups, and I almost never see one of those around anymore.

 

[Da Guru]

Wow, have we really gotten this sensitive or run out of real things to offend us? Goodness.

Does anyone "really" get offended by anything? Unless they are told be to offended most people are too busy living their lives.

 

[Dentist]

When I do hit Chipotle for lunch, I try to make it a late lunch and then skip dinner. One of their burritos has got to be 1000+ calories, and I'm pretty damn full after eating one.

When my wife and I go there for dinner... we split a burrito.. and sometimes get a bag of chips and salsa or guac.

One of those burritos is plenty for my decreased appetite as I age.

I remember once in my 20's going nuts and eating 2 of them after a big workout.... but now the idea of that makes me a bit ill.

 

[flysack]

Out of curiosity, who are the leading "Latino/a writers" that they could have chosen?

Sandra Cisneros carries some weight, and she's a chicana which is about as close to this corporate slop's image as it gets.

Broader Latino/a? It doesn't get any more respectable than Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombian who spent most of his life living in Mexico), though a passage by Eduardo Galeano would have be ironic and hella amusing. Maybe some Roberto Bolano, also a Mexican Chilean who ended up living in Mexico for a long time, and later Spain. Then there's always Borges, the giant of latino writers (Argentinian).



Edit.

 

[Rove!]

Wouldn't be so bad if one of the people that they snubbed all Latino writers for wasn't Sarah Silverman...

 

[jonessed]

Malcom Gladwell is like 1/2 Carribean, which is sorta hispanic, right? The Carribean was kinda the OG melting pot, hispanics, africans, native americans, whites, all getting down with each other mixing bloodlines up and whatnot.

I don't really think its a big deal. Its not like this is a prestigious award that defines a culture. Its some writing on the side of a cup.

You haven't made it in literature until you are quoted on the side of a paper cup.

 

[Mr. Yuk]

I employ a few Mexican-Americans, and none of them consider Chipotle to be Mexican food. In their opinion, putting rice in a burrito is sacrilege.

 

[flysack]

Out of curiosity, who are the leading "Latino/a writers" that they could have chosen?

Sandra Cisneros carries some weight, and she's a chicana which is about as close to this corporate slop's image as it gets.

Broader Latino/a? It doesn't get any more respectable than Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombian who spent most of his life living in Mexico), though a passage by Eduardo Galeano would have be ironic and hella amusing. Maybe some Roberto Bolano, also a Mexican Chilean who ended up living in Mexico for a long time, and later Spain. Then there's always Borges, the giant of latino writers (Argentinian).



Edit.

I might add that all of these writers would consider Chipotle disgusting, both on the tongue and the moral palate.

Latin American writers tend to be pretty politically & socially critical, understandable considering how the U.S. government and corporate America has been manipulating and exploiting the hell out of South America for a very long time. It wouldn't surprise me if Chipotle tried to get permission for one of these writers and were told to go f@#$ themselves.

I'm not saying that's true. I'm just saying it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[flysack]

They should have just put a picture of a Che t-shirt on the cup. I couldn't think of anything more perfect.

 

[Sarnoff]

Out of curiosity, who are the leading "Latino/a writers" that they could have chosen?

Perhaps they could have printed up a witticism of Carlos Mencia (that he stole from Bill Cosby).

edit: Thanks mcgarnicle

 

[mr roboto]

All you asking which authors should have been asked according to the critics, can you read? It's in the article.

 

[McGarnicle]

Out of curiosity, who are the leading "Latino/a writers" that they could have chosen?

Perhaps they could have printed up a witticism of George Lopez (that he stole from Bill Cosby).

I thought it was Carlos Mencia who stole from other comics. Lopez too?

 

[Brony]

Vote for Pedro

 

[Norman Paperman]

Just curious, but what is the ethnic/racial make-up of Chipotle's target audience?

Just a guess, but as a chain, I don't think they are targeting latinos as their primary customer base. Most Chipotle's I have seen tend to be in urban, mostly-white, parts of town.

 

[Sarnoff]

Out of curiosity, who are the leading "Latino/a writers" that they could have chosen?

Perhaps they could have printed up a witticism of George Lopez (that he stole from Bill Cosby).

I thought it was Carlos Mencia who stole from other comics. Lopez too?

total brainfart on my end. Shouldn't be shticking before 8am.

 

[McGarnicle]

Just curious, but what is the ethnic/racial make-up of Chipotle's target audience?

Just a guess, but as a chain, I don't think they are targeting latinos as their primary customer base. Most Chipotle's I have seen tend to be in urban, mostly-white, parts of town.

Yep, and as an urban whitebread suburbanite, when I'm traveling and I see a Chipotle, I think oh good, I must be in the cool part of town.

 

[mr roboto]

Just curious, but what is the ethnic/racial make-up of Chipotle's target audience?

Just a guess, but as a chain, I don't think they are targeting latinos as their primary customer base. Most Chipotle's I have seen tend to be in urban, mostly-white, parts of town.

Yep, and as an urban whitebread suburbanite, when I'm traveling and I see a Chipotle, I think oh good, I must be in the cool part of town.

Yep.

 

[Freelove]

Out of curiosity, who are the leading "Latino/a writers" that they could have chosen?

Perhaps they could have printed up a witticism of George Lopez (that he stole from Bill Cosby).

I thought it was Carlos Mencia who stole from other comics. Lopez too?

total brainfart on my end. Shouldn't be shticking before 8am.

Yeah, George is more nauseating because he tells nothing but the least edgy racist jokes imaginable.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Their bigger issue which not many people seem to have noticed and/or care about is that the calorie information they post is complete bull####.

They're not accurate? How so?

J

What they present as the bottom calorie range for their "burrito" is literally a bean-filled tortilla. I doubt anyone has ever ordered that. Then you have serving size issues. I think they include an ounce of sour cream or cheese or whatever in their calculation when what they give you is much more.

Then things like "seasonality of ingredients"...

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/07/19/restaurant.calories.off/

According to the Tufts lab analysis, Chipotle's burrito bowl with rice, black beans, peppers, onions, lettuce, green tomatillo salsa and cheese had 703 total calories -- 249 more than what was expected based on information from the restaurant's website.

In a statement, Chipotle acknowledged there could be calorie differences between what's posted on its website and what's served to customers because of "the seasonality of ingredients, adherence to recipes, and cooking from scratch."

Here's a couple more speaking specifically on Chipotle:

http://www.vox.com/2014/4/25/5653390/chipotle-s-calorie-labels-are-a-lie

http://midtownlunch.com/2008/04/21/basic-math-blows-holes-in-chipotles-absurd-calorie-range/

Thanks. That's pretty lame.

I wonder what the repercussions are for getting this wrong? I always figured it was pretty serious business - like OSHA or EPA when you're dealing with the Federal people. Anyone know how this works?

J

 

[Freelove]

Just curious, but what is the ethnic/racial make-up of Chipotle's target audience?

Just a guess, but as a chain, I don't think they are targeting latinos as their primary customer base. Most Chipotle's I have seen tend to be in urban, mostly-white, parts of town.

Yep, and as an urban whitebread suburbanite, when I'm traveling and I see a Chipotle, I think oh good, I must be in the cool part of town.

Yep.

Thought 1: A Chipotle?! I must be in a soulless suburban strip mall!

If it turns out I am not...

Thought 2: There must be a Starbucks and three or four galleries nearby!

 

[bostonfred]

The same response from Chipotles customer service has been coming back to several of the groups members. We did not think of including individuals from specific ethnic backgrounds. We simply wanted individuals to Cultivate Thought, replies each customer service consultant.

Chipotles customer service says that the company intends to expand "Cultivating Thought" to anybody who would like to be a part of it, and it'll take note" of any concerns as it makes additional plans.

seems reasonable

 

[bostonfred]

Out of curiosity, who are the leading "Latino/a writers" that they could have chosen?

Perhaps they could have printed up a witticism of George Lopez (that he stole from Bill Cosby).

I thought it was Carlos Mencia who stole from other comics. Lopez too?

total brainfart on my end. Shouldn't be shticking before 8am.

This is way more racist than chipotle imo

 

[Joe Bryant]

The same response from Chipotles customer service has been coming back to several of the groups members. We did not think of including individuals from specific ethnic backgrounds. We simply wanted individuals to Cultivate Thought, replies each customer service consultant.

Chipotles customer service says that the company intends to expand "Cultivating Thought" to anybody who would like to be a part of it, and it'll take note" of any concerns as it makes additional plans.

seems reasonable

I thought so too bostonfred. But the headline on the social media feed was "makes no apologies". Interesting spin on it.

J

 

[Aerial Assault]

Wait . . . Sarah Silverman and Bill Hader are cultural icons worthy of being in the same sentence as Toni Morrison and Gladwell? I don't dislike SS or Hader but that seems to be the only real outrage.

 

[Jefferson the Caregiver]

If I went to an Irish pub, and it featured little writings on its placemats or whatever, I would totally expect an Irish or Irish American author.

This is closer on the level of going to an Irish pub and only seeing Killian's Irish Red and not Guiness, Murphy's or Harp. If I was from Ireland, that would seem ridiculous. Hell, it seems ridiculous for any patron.

That being said, i agree with everyone that says Mexicans are probably not their main clients and thus not a marketing focus.

It's not a mistake from any kind of racial standpoint, it's a mistake because you aren't trying to market with the ethnicity of your culinary focus.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

That's what they get for trying to "cultivate thought". Maybe next time they just won't do anything to raise discourse. Message sent!

Right, they should take cue from Taco Bell in what they write on their packaging:

https://www.google.com/search?q=taco+bell+sauce+packet+sayings&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=CG97U-v4AZaoyAS9kIHACQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&biw=1152&bih=626#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=Db95yl7Uhlmt-M%253A%3Bryx71dSvbQdsUM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.hispanicmeme.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2012%252F11%252Ftaco-bell-sauce-packet-sayings-4.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.hispanicmeme.com%252F2012%252F11%252F13%252Ftaco-bell-sauce-packet-phrases%252Ftaco-bell-sauce-packet-sayings-4%252F%3B216%3B434

 

[The Commish]

Wow, I'm the only "huge mistake" vote. In a perfect world no one would care, in this world you do what's necessary to keep the pc crowd happy and eating your burritoes.

You know as well as I do BnB that around here, 99.9999999999% of the people eating in Chipotles aren't the group "left out"....what would their clientele care??

 

[Buck Bradcanon]

One last thought on the matter:

I was far more insulted back when they started charging for guacamole.

Yep. Eleven bucks for a ####### burrito is the real insult.

I eat at Chipotle about once a week. The only way you're paying $11 for a burrito is if you get double meat and guacamole and chips.

Yes, you have to get "double" meat for a normal portion.

how big a boy are ya?

I get that option at times too, but this was funny.

 

[Jefferson the Caregiver]

Those identifying this as a "PC" mistake are not getting it and are just so self absorbed in that mindset, that they try to apply that to everything.

It's a marketing mistake nothing "PC" involved. You would just think they would want to embrace that culture a bit since that's their bent.

FWIW, i voted slight mistake.

 

[Quez]

Chipotle has started getting really skimpy on the meat portions in their burritos. The last few times it seemed like I was just eating beans and rice in a tortilla.

I could care less what is on the cups.

 

[Buck Bradcanon]

Yes I Know Guac is Extra

 

[NCCommish]

Those identifying this as a "PC" mistake are not getting it and are just so self absorbed in that mindset, that they try to apply that to everything.

It's a marketing mistake nothing "PC" involved. You would just think they would want to embrace that culture a bit since that's their bent.

FWIW, i voted slight mistake.

But it isn't. There is nothing authentically Latin about their food other than the name really. Just another Americanization of someone else's cuisine which bears no real resemblance to how it is done where it comes from.

 

[The Commish]

Thanks. That's pretty lame.
I wonder what the repercussions are for getting this wrong? I always figured it was pretty serious business - like OSHA or EPA when you're dealing with the Federal people. Anyone know how this works?

J

There's very little that ever comes from "mistakes" like this unfortunately. It's a reflection on the USDA. A simple apology from Chipotle + a slap on the wrist + a "stern" talking to = "all good" in this country. Granted, there are things much more egregious going on in our food system and I don't expect them to be shut down for it, but in the grand scheme of things, this is bush league.

 

[Jefferson the Caregiver]

Those identifying this as a "PC" mistake are not getting it and are just so self absorbed in that mindset, that they try to apply that to everything.

It's a marketing mistake nothing "PC" involved. You would just think they would want to embrace that culture a bit since that's their bent.

FWIW, i voted slight mistake.

But it isn't. There is nothing authentically Latin about their food other than the name really. Just another Americanization of someone else's cuisine which bears no real resemblance to how it is done where it comes from.

I actually agree with you but if you asked a Chipotle executive, I guarantee he would not say this. They are trying to have some kind of flair of authenticity whether or not they pull it off is a another story.

 

[tdoss]

I swear...one of America's favorite past times: "Creating Controversy Where There Is None".

 

[Da Guru]

Just curious, but what is the ethnic/racial make-up of Chipotle's target audience?

Just a guess, but as a chain, I don't think they are targeting latinos as their primary customer base. Most Chipotle's I have seen tend to be in urban, mostly-white, parts of town.

Lets eliminate who they are not targeting. "The South of the Border" crowd is definitely not a target. I have not seen too many Chipotle's in black areas of cities..so we can scratch them off. Asians? No. Rural areas? No. Low income areas? no. What is left is their target audience.

 

[BassNBrew]

Those identifying this as a "PC" mistake are not getting it and are just so self absorbed in that mindset, that they try to apply that to everything.

It's a marketing mistake nothing "PC" involved. You would just think they would want to embrace that culture a bit since that's their bent.

FWIW, i voted slight mistake.

But it isn't. There is nothing authentically Latin about their food other than the name really. Just another Americanization of someone else's cuisine which bears no real resemblance to how it is done where it comes from.

That's because the real stuff wouldn't sell well here.

 

[Rove!]

The same response from Chipotles customer service has been coming back to several of the groups members. We did not think of including individuals from specific ethnic backgrounds. We simply wanted individuals to Cultivate Thought, replies each customer service consultant.

Chipotles customer service says that the company intends to expand "Cultivating Thought" to anybody who would like to be a part of it, and it'll take note" of any concerns as it makes additional plans.

seems reasonable

It's not that they didn't seek out specific ethnicities, but It seems that their cultural experience is lacking if they cast a wide net and didn't come up with any Latinos. It's like they have a cultural blind spot which is odd considering their alleged cuisine....