During the last year, I’ve made a concerted effort to get back in shape, which has led to some sacrifices when it comes to meal choices.
Gone are the days of eating at Wendy’s, for instance.
Sometimes, however, you need to go the quick and easy route, leading to my new obsession with Chipotle. Invariably I need a speedy meal at least once a week, and Chipotle has been my go-to fast food place (although I believe the proper industry term for establishments like Chipotle is “fast casual.”)
The restaurant chain’s success has flown in the face of conventional wisdom that says people want their food faster and cheaper to minimize the inconvenience of eating out for lunch and dinner.
I don’t know about you, but I’m usually in a line out the door when I visit Chipotle, and the cost is at least the same, if not more, than other fast food options available.
A primary appeal of the restaurant obviously rests in the fresh ingredients and overall quality of the product. But it goes much deeper than that, which is why so many have gravitated to Chipotle.
The chain has positioned itself as beyond reproach when it comes to a focus on fresh food, ethical production and honest positioning of its values to consumers (a major misstep in social media strategy from last year notwithstanding).
Chipotle’s cups and bowls tout their eco-friendly composition. A Willie Nelson cover of Coldplay’s “The Scientist” highlighted Chipotle’s emphasis on sustainable farming and concern for local farmers in what was the company’s first national ad.
People don’t wait 15 minutes for burritos from Chipotle instead of hitting up Taco Bell because Chipotle’s burritos taste so much better than Taco Bell’s. That’s a matter of personal taste, and personal taste is always hard to measure objectively. It’s the emotional significance for consumers that drives repeat business to generate “brand loyalty.”
In his book, “Start with Why,” author Simon Sinek explains how most companies can always win minds by offering details of their product’s features and benefits, but winning people’s hearts is much more challenging.
To quote Sinek directly, “People don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it.”
For some reason (perhaps a need to seem less ostentatious) Chipotle’s founder and CEO Steve Ells recently told Fast Company magazine that he downplays the significance of the company’s “Food with Integrity” mission, yet the article’s author, Robert Safian, appropriately points out this mission is exactly why the burrito chain stands out.
“‘Food With Integrity’ animates every decision the company makes, from the slaughterhouse to the food line at your local outlet to the strategic planning at the Denver headquarters,” Safian writes. “When Ells, who’s a chef himself, launched Chipotle 21 years ago, he focused on fresh ingredients. That evolved over time into an awareness of all the different forms of exploitation inherent in traditional fast food – of animals, of the environment, and even of customers.”
At WordWrite, we operate along a similar line of thinking when advising our clients. The foundation of any organization is inextricably tied to its authentic Story, with a capital “S.” “Story” is who you really are to your customers and clients.
Your authenticity can’t be measured by how your customers tell you to be more authentic. Rather, authenticity stems from a strong belief in why you do what you do and what you’re selling. A “Story” must describe a company’s true identity and purpose. It starts from a place of truth. As Sinek would say, “It starts with WHY.”
To reinforce that point, on Chipotle’s own website, Ells discusses what makes his company unique, and not once does he mention the type of food the restaurant makes, how much it costs or even the type of ingredients it includes in its products.
“‘Food with Integrity’ is our commitment to always look closer, dig deeper, and work harder to ensure that our actions are making things better, not worse. It’s our promise to run our business in a way that doesn’t exploit animals, people or the environment. It is the philosophy that guides every decision we make at Chipotle.”
That is why people choose Chipotle, and not because of the number of avocados it uses to make its fresh guacamole each day. We connect with Chipotle on an emotional level because it shares many of our values. By the way, it also happens to make great food.
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Jeremy Church is vice president of media and content strategies for WordWrite Communications. He can be reached at jeremy.church@wordwritepr.com and on Twitter @churchjeremy..png)
