Chipotle CEO Details Why His Company Is Better Than Other “Irrelevant” Fast Food Chains

Most mega fast food chains are being pulled in two directions these days — trying to satisfy those consumers who want quality ingredients and healthier options, while also pushing bottom-dollar value menu items to diners whose primary goal is to eat something fast and cheap. It would seem like one of these would have to win out in the long run, and according to the co-CEO of Chipotle, the cheap and easy route will soon be a thing of the past.

In an interview with The Street, Chipotle co-CEO Monty Moran says the company is taking down traditional fast food, which he deems “irrelevant,” by opening more locations and showing customers that the other chains don’t care as much about the consumer or their employees.

“By traditional fast food I mean where the predominant goal is the cheapening of the raw ingredients, the automation of the work such that anyone could do it that you don’t need training so that they turn over their employees without any care for them, where it’s a game of value meals and cheapening and cheapening the food experience,” he says.

Another reason Chipotle will contribute to the downfall and replace traditional fast food chains is its emphasis on where food comes from.

“Get suppliers to start thinking how they raise food differently because there are more folks like Chipotle, they will have to do things according to our protocols,” he says. “A fifth way is changing customer perception so that customers are aware where their food comes from and start making demands of grocers and restaurants to provide food in a way that makes sense to them.”

It’s hard to imagine how fast food is irrelevant considering McDonald’s alone is 20-times larger than Chipotle. But even with such a wide gap, Moran says Chipotle will continue leading the way – through its own locations or imitations – in changing the face of fast food.

Chipotle’s Monty Moran Unwraps the Restaurant’s Success Story [The Street]

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