"Chipotle Is Apple"

Viva competitive free markets!

In many ways, the Chipotle burrito is very similar to the iPhone. Founder Steve Ells invented a way to maintain the basic speed and experience of the standard fast-food experience and make the quality of the food a little better.*The better food costs a bit more money, but consumers turn out to be happy to pay a premium for a superior product. A similar insight is behind privately held Five Guys, a burger-oriented fast-food concept that’s also grown rapidly over the past several years. At the other end of the health spectrum there’s Chop’t, the assembly-line salad chain that’s taken New York and D.C. by storm but hasn’t yet gone national. All three chains are, in their different ways, raising the bar for food quality in a quick-service setting.

Comments

[Speedmaster]

I remember reading that a week or so ago. We LOVE Chipotle! Great food, always fresh. ;-)

[kyle8]

Except that I really do not see the increase in quality of Five Guys. In fact they have a sucky product IMO.

There is a Mexican fast food chain which is only here in the Houston area, about a dozen stores, very very good, fast, and cheap. Called Taqueria Arandas.

I think someone could make a fortune franchising it in other parts of the country. Too Bad I don't have the capital to do it.