Althouse: Chipotle desperately tweets "How many burritos?" with the possible answers "69" and "420."

September 7, 2016

Chipotle desperately tweets "How many burritos?" with the possible answers "69" and "420."

It's desperate and moronic and sad, but it's viral.

46 comments:

Eric the Fruit Bat said...: That it has gone viral is a high standard.; 9/7/16, 8:13 AM
Patrick said...: I was feeling like going to Chipotle was rolling the dice, so I basically stopped going. Maybe they should try to market safe food. Not very "edgy," I know...; 9/7/16, 8:17 AM
rehajm said...: I suppose if you believe any publicity is good publicity, but if that's the case why abandon your strategy of poisoning your customers which was working so well?; 9/7/16, 8:19 AM
Curious George said...: Jack in the Box sure knows their market: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5rlbOqQq7w; 9/7/16, 8:19 AM
Brando said...: In marketing, viral trumps sad. Here we are, all thinking about Chipotle, and pretty much not turned off from eating there simply because of the 69 and 420 we associate with the burrito.

I do wish they made smaller versions of the burrito though. Every time I go there I have to ask myself "am I ready for that much in my stomach?"; 9/7/16, 8:22 AM
Rocketeer said...: Well given Chipotle's track record you should always go with the lower number to minimize the odds of infection/increase your chances of survival.; 9/7/16, 8:22 AM
MAJMike said...: I guess getting your potential customers' minds off of food poisoning is a good thing. Why not just concentrate your advertising on clean preparation and healthy product?; 9/7/16, 8:26 AM
Ann Althouse said...: We used to have a positive view of Chipotle, so much so that we had a standard for other restaurants: "Better than Chipotle."

The idea was that Chipotle was what it was and reliably so. If you're going to take a chance on some place you found in an unfamiliar place, it had to be better than Chipotle. Then we came to Lawrence, Kansas and passed up a local burger place for a Chipotle and that Chipotle wasn't the predictable Chipotle and it wrecked the idea of "better than Chipotle." We have never since that day gone to a Chipotle.

And that's what chain restaurants need to know. You have to police the local outlets or your brand is ruined. It was for us.; 9/7/16, 8:27 AM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Need an option for old farts like me which reads "Huh?"; 9/7/16, 8:29 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "Need an option for old farts like me which reads "Huh?""

I considered that, but assumed anyone in that position would click through to the article, which sledgehammers the answer to your question.; 9/7/16, 8:33 AM
rhhardin said...: I thought Chipotle's problem was local sources, which means you're taking the same chance as you do in any local restaurant.

It just collects though in a single brand.; 9/7/16, 8:34 AM
rhhardin said...: 420 is a threesome, I bet.; 9/7/16, 8:34 AM
rhhardin said...: I haven't been to a restaurant in this century, excepting a couple visits for coffee in 2007 in order to use their wifi for some serious podcast downloading. Dialup wasn't hacking it.

Left a huge tip to compensate the waitress for the counter seat revenue.; 9/7/16, 8:37 AM
Left Bank of the Charles said...: Chipotle is cat food, and they know it.; 9/7/16, 8:40 AM
Laslo Spatula said...: From 'The Community of Color Gazette':

"Man of Color Wonders Why There Is No Chipotle In Neighborhood"

Taylor Raine, a Black Man of our Community of Color, was overheard wondering why there wasn't a Chipotle Restaurant in his neighborhood.

Mr. Raine corroborated the story.

"If I want Chipotle, I gotta go to the Mall on the other side of the city. I was just asking why there ain't there no Chipotle here'."

Lester Johnson, a friend of Mr. Raine, corroborated the story.

"We was just chilling, and Taylor, he was wanting some Chipotle, but we didn't feel like going all that way to the Mall. I told him it's because Big Business don't trust putting restaurants in our Community."

When asked to elaborate on this, Mr. Johnson smiled.

"They think we'll rob and loot the place and sh*t. Man, I just want some Chipotle, feel me?"

Mr. Raine nodded in agreement.

"F**k, we don't even have a damn Taco Bell. How f**ked up is that?"

Thinking about the situation, Mr. Johnson added this insight.

"If we had a Chipotle I could even maybe get a job there. I need a job."

Mr. Raines nodded in agreement.

"Man, if I can roll a blunt I could certainly make a damn burrito. Sh*t."

So there it is: a Story of Change in our Community of Color. For more stories like this please read 'The Community of Color Gazette'.

I am Laslo.; 9/7/16, 8:52 AM
SweatBee said...: It could have been clever if they'd come up with a "rock 'n' roll" number, but as-is, it's just annoying.; 9/7/16, 8:56 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "I thought Chipotle's problem was local sources, which means you're taking the same chance as you do in any local restaurant."

It's not that the food made us sick. The problems were things that a franchise should police: the speed and quality of service, the temperature of the food, the cleanliness and good order of the eating space.; 9/7/16, 8:57 AM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Alright Althouse, you have shamed into reading the article which you know, from my clueless comments, I rarely do.; 9/7/16, 9:03 AM
Churchy LaFemme: said...: I have disliked Chipolte from the first time I saw one in DC. All sharp edges and industrial inside. Very unfriendly. And the food not that great regardless of whether it is safe. Moe's is Chipolte done right. Good food, free chips. (Although nothing can fix bad management in a store, not even the Moe's concept).; 9/7/16, 9:15 AM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: Left Bank of the Charles said...

Chipotle is cat food...

...yes, I'd like the songbird burrito...hold the chick-a-dee please...thanks; 9/7/16, 9:16 AM
Unknown said...: i think the series that they created for hulu was way more desperate and sad advertising.; 9/7/16, 9:18 AM
TosaGuy said...: The food incident is old news. Restaurants of Chipotle's scale have the ability to fix that and move on.

However, it is expensive and if you are not filling your burrito or bowl with rice and beans they really really really skimp on portions. Also, if you don't drown your choice in a hot salsa, it is really is a flavorless mess.

I have one walking distance from my work and after going 3 times I have never returned. I now go to the Target across the street and pick up $25 of grocery items every week.; 9/7/16, 9:20 AM
tim maguire said...: Are they saying you'd have to be on drugs to eat a Chipotle burrito?; 9/7/16, 9:48 AM
David said...: I would have voted "obscure."

The 420 reference was a new one for me.

Being clueless is not always a bad thing.; 9/7/16, 9:57 AM
Fritz said...: The idea was that Chipotle was what it was and reliably so. If you're going to take a chance on some place you found in an unfamiliar place, it had to be better than Chipotle. Then we came to Lawrence, Kansas and passed up a local burger place for a Chipotle and that Chipotle wasn't the predictable Chipotle and it wrecked the idea of "better than Chipotle." We have never since that day gone to a Chipotle.

I rather enjoy going to the random burger joint in small towns, and finding out what they have. Rarely a bust, often great. Our last one was "Budget Burgers" in Lompoc, California. Well worth it, if for some odd reason you find yourself in Lompoc.; 9/7/16, 9:58 AM
Dagwood said...: So 69 and 420 don't refer to the number of expected cases of e-coli from eating at Chipotle on a random day?; 9/7/16, 10:01 AM
David said...: "I thought Chipotle's problem was local sources, which means you're taking the same chance as you do in any local restaurant."

Most "local" restaurants get their food from the big national suppliers or regional equivalents. They might splash in a "local" supplier or two to pep up the menu, but the cost advantage of the biggies is too important to ignore.; 9/7/16, 10:02 AM
Birches said...: We aren't Chipotle people because there are better burrito options where we live, but we go once a year because they give out free kids meals when you sign up for the library summer reading program. This year I noticed we were offered free stuff for a return visit. That's never happened before. Business must be suffering. One of my anti-GMO friends swears their health code violations are a Monsanto plot.; 9/7/16, 10:11 AM
Birches said...: If any of you live close to a Cafe Rio, go and order a pork salad. I'll take that over Chipotle any day.; 9/7/16, 10:18 AM
David53 said...: I thought Whataburger's trolling of Kanye West's Twitter was genius. Chipotle's effort is pathetic.; 9/7/16, 10:20 AM
Seafarious said...: Heh. My vote for "Embarrassing and Inappropriate" was #105 for that choice - with 153 votes total it works out to ... 69%.; 9/7/16, 10:28 AM
Big Mike said...: @Althouse, you left out "sucks" as an option (which is different in my mind from your options #2 and #3).; 9/7/16, 10:30 AM
pdug said...: Chipoltle did a LGBT pride advertisement where you could vote for Tacos (hur hur) or Burritos (heh heh)

I have not looked back since.; 9/7/16, 10:33 AM
Wince said...: I just assumed Panera's latest ad campaign about "good, clean food" was targeted at Chipotle.

Now Chipotle is dirty and kinky.; 9/7/16, 10:36 AM
The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...: "It's desperate and moronic and sad, but it's viral"

It's just douchey. Nothing more pathetic than an attempt to be edgy exposing you as a halfwit. Restaurant as hip youth pastor.; 9/7/16, 10:52 AM
jg said...: Trump will bring Chipotle to Detroit.; 9/7/16, 11:15 AM
Bricap said...: Ackman has about 10% of CMG now. It's gotta be the marketing.; 9/7/16, 11:24 AM
damikesc said...: That it has gone viral is a high standard.

Isn't viral stuff involving Chipotle the problem they are dealing with as is?; 9/7/16, 11:28 AM
Ken B said...: Let me help them with their viral marketing ideas:

Chipotle introduces a new salsa flavor: Kaopectate.

Chipotle: Food you Depends on.

Chipotle: Fast food for when you're on the run(s).; 9/7/16, 11:38 AM
walter said...: Blogger Patrick said...
I was feeling like going to Chipotle was rolling the dice, so I basically stopped going.
--
Oh..C'mon. Just because Chipotle has almost become a verb, doesn't mean you shouldn't
Take a chance..

or get nostalgic..; 9/7/16, 12:16 PM
Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...: We don't go to Chipotle because of, you know, food poisoning. We make up the virtue signalling deficit by pigging out on Ben and Jerry's.; 9/7/16, 12:58 PM
walter said...: Chipotle-ing the mind:

"The marketing and communications specialist explained that when he started this project in July, he weighed 156lbs and was at 12 per cent body fat. His goal was to get to 170lbs and 14 per cent body fat before getting back down to 150lbs and nine per cent body fat for the summer.

And while Devin insists that Chipotle has enough variety that he has yet to get sick of his new diet, there have been plenty of bumps along the way.

Devin has to do a great deal of planning before vacations and holidays because if there isn't a Chipotle to be found during his travels, he needs to plan ahead and buy an extra meal the day before.

However, his hard work was almost derailed in November, on the 100th day of his challenge, when he woke up to learn that locations were closing in Portland because of an E. coli scare."
More on that amazing transformation..; 9/7/16, 1:11 PM
Known Unknown said...: I have to ask myself "am I ready for that much in my stomach?"

I have to ask myself "am I ready for that much in my mouth?"

I am NOT Laslo.; 9/7/16, 2:58 PM
mikee said...: I, for one, prefer my burrito without all those wonderful organic, all-natural, no-pesticide parasites and pathogens that Chipotle is still famous for introducing to the American Tex-Mex dietary intake.; 9/7/16, 3:12 PM
gadfly said...: I know what "69" is but I don't see how that has anything to do with burritos and some of us are naturally sheltered from "stoner code words" that are, first of all, numbers and have no relation to my life since I have never known a stoner, let alone his code words. Couldn't these numbers be like the numbering of jokes to eliminate the need to recite them to get a laugh?; 9/7/16, 6:50 PM
jinxdoublejinx said...: 6th option - starchy
jk it's what chipotle thinks of 18-35 yos, plain and simple.; 9/8/16, 3:32 PM