Between rodents falling from the ceilings to customers falling ill after eating at the fast casual chain, the last few weeks haven’t been exactly kind to Chipotle, and they don’t appear to be getting any better: Another customer has tested positive for norovirus after eating at one of the company’s Virginia locations. [More]
fast casual
Hooters Opens Fast Casual Restaurant “Hoots”
By 2.14.17
Fast casual restaurants are all the rage. Even eateries that have been around for years are jumping into the world of counter-service and quick eats, including Hooters, which recently opened its first location of a new, smaller version of its restaurants: Hoots, A Hooters Joint. [More]
Chipotle Hopes To Coax More Customers Back With Dessert, Better Online Ordering
By 10.25.16
It was a year ago next week that the national Chipotle food safety crisis began on Halloween, when the chain shut down restaurants in Washington state and in Oregon after reports of E. coli infection in some customers. Things haven’t been going well for the chain since then, with sales plummeting, then slowly recovering with free food promotions and a loyalty program. The chain’s sales still haven’t fully recovered, but Chipotle hopes to coax customers back with some dessert. [More]
“McDonald’s Of The Future” Offering Unlimited Fries Is Now Open
By 8.4.16
Remember when everyone got worked up over the “McDonald’s of the Future,” a restaurant in Missouri that announced it was planning on offering all-you-can-eat fries as a grand opening, promotional thing? Get your bus tickets, because the restaurant opened today. [More]
Chipotle Trademarks Name ‘Better Burger,’ Thinking About Fast-Casual Burger Chain
By 3.30.16
Would you eat a burger from Chipotle? No, not at Chipotle, but a fast-casual burger restsaurant that uses the same food-sourcing and cooking methods, and has a similar vibe and a GMO-free menu? The company, which also runs pizza and pan-Asian noodle restaurants modeled on its main brand, trademarked the phrase “Better Burger,” which sounds like a nice name for a burger place. [More]
Chipotle’s Closed Today, But You Can Get A ‘Raincheck’ Free Burrito… Or A Deal From Competitors
By 2.8.16
Burrito lovers have had weeks to prepare for the hours-long closure of Chipotle restaurants today, and in that time several competing fast Mexican chains have promoted special offers for the lunchtime crowd. But it looks like Chipotle may also have a deal for its temporarily abandoned customers: a raincheck for a free burrito. [More]
Why Does McDonald’s Have Such A Hard Time Wooing Millennials?
By 12.15.14
Does McDonald’s need to try to change the world to win back its customers? Mickey D’s, still reeling from reporting its steepest monthly sales decline in 14 years, has been reaching out to ad agencies and media companies looking for advice on what kind of charitable partnership it can work up to help it connect better with its customers (specifically “millennials”), the Wall Street Journal reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Would You Like Guacamole With Your McDonald’s Meal?
By 5.15.14
You might react to this concept with either horror or curiosity: McDonald’s is testing guacamole as a condiment and dipping sauce at its restaurants in southern California, and they’re testing a fancy new Guacamole Burger in Denver. For 89 cents, they’ll put guacamole on anything. Anything? [More]
Colorado, Florida Residents Really Love “Fast Casual” Restaurants
By 8.26.13
“Fast casual” is that vague food industry term for eateries that nicer than your typical fast food joint but aren’t really what you would consider sit-down restaurants. They’re the kind of place where you often get lunch at a counter, but the food and service are generally better [Think Chipotle or Panera]. It’s been a growth segment in an industry that’s been somewhat flat in recent years, and according to a new survey, six of the 10 most dense fast casual populations are in either Colorado or Florida. [More]
There Are 655,360 Different Burrito Combinations Possible At Chipotle
By 7.19.13
It’s not often that you can test an ad claim and find that a company is actually underselling itself. The menu at Chipotle is small and simple but has many possible configurations. How many? Well, you could eat there once per day without repeating a meal for 1,794 years. Don’t ever claim to be bored with your lunches again. [More]
Would Chipotle Be The Same With Drive-Thru Windows?
By 10.25.12
To many Chipotle customers, part of the reason for going to the restaurant chain is that you get to watch your burritos and bowls made to order right in front of you, but the company apparently needs to bring in new customers and thinks that adding drive-thru windows might help. [More]
