{"id":38988,"date":"2022-01-12T11:57:21","date_gmt":"2022-01-12T16:57:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/?p=38988"},"modified":"2023-12-21T11:56:37","modified_gmt":"2023-12-21T16:56:37","slug":"chipotle-locations-franchise-locations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/chipotle-locations-franchise-locations","title":{"rendered":"Bad News: You Can’t Buy A Chipotle Franchise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"navigate<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wouldn’t it be grand if you could buy a Chipotle franchise<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But you can’t, and it’s wrong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this post, I\u2019m going to give you couple of examples of things I\u2019ve seen take place at Chipotle restaurants<\/a>, recently, and why corporate needs to start offering Chipotle franchises. <\/p>\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n

Chipotle: An Impressive Fast-Food Restaurant Chain That Doesn’t Offer Chipotle Franchise Opportunities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I remember how impressed I was the first time I stepped into one of my local<\/a> Chipotle\u00ae restaurants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was clean, well-designed, and was quite an efficient operation. And the food? Fantastic. Quite the impressive fast food franchise, or so I thought.<\/p>\n\n\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

There Is No Such Thing As A Chipotle Franchise<\/h2>\n

You heard it here first. Maybe.<\/p>\n

Fact is, the company doesn’t offer franchises.<\/p>\n

So stop Googling “Chipotle franchise cost<\/em>.” You’re wasting your time, although a lot of websites in the franchise space want<\/b> you to think Chipotle corporate offers franchise locations for sale.<\/p>\n

So to be clear, you can’t buy a Chipotle franchise<\/b>!<\/p>\n\n\n

That said, the fast food restaurant does offer great portions that taste fresh. And the food super-satisfying. Plus in my case, Chipotle instantly inherited a customer for life, franchise or not<\/strong>. And I don\u2019t say* that lightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*My family harasses me every time I offer a verbal review of a restaurant we just dined at<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s because 9 times out of 10 I say the food was \u201caverage<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Translation:<\/strong> I\u2019m not easily impressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In view of that, I\u2019m sorry to say that both Chipotle locations near me have received my \u201caverage<\/em>\u201d rating. Let me tell you why.<\/p>\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n

My 3 Biggest Problems With The Two Chipotle Locations Near Me<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When I want to navigate to the nearest Chipotle, I have two locations near me to choose from. Both are within 3 miles of my Castle.\n\n\n<\/p>

With that in mind, here\u2019s what I\u2019ve experienced at both restaurants<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

First off, the Chipotle restaurants near me have inconsistent, aggravating ordering options.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

9 times out of 10, I order Chipotle from my desktop. It\u2019s easy to do. Painless even. Corporate has put together an excellent back-end system for online orders. It\u2019s intuitive and customers can get rewards just by ordering online. It\u2019s actually the best online ordering platform I\u2019ve ever used. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

That said, I do<\/em> get urges.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"chipotle<\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

For example, if I\u2019m running errands around lunchtime-and I\u2019m hungry, I may<\/em> have the urge for a double-wrapped, Chipotle Barbacoa Burrito (with extra rice and a side of guac<\/em>).<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

So recently, when I let the urge win, I drove to the Chipotle nearest my Castle, got out of my chariot, walked to the front door of the restaurant…and stopped.\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Because of the sign on the door:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry. We Are Only Taking Online Orders At This Time<\/em>\u201d Huh?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

That left me two choices.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A. I could climb back into my chariot, download the Chipotle App, and order my food.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

B. Drive away aggravated and find something else to eat.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I drove away. And I was pissed.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you just order from the car, Joel<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Because I didn\u2019t want to fudge with an App I never used before and then sit in my car for gosh knows how long till my food was ready.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

So my question to Chipotle corporate:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

How was I supposed to know the Chipotle location near me was closed for in-person ordering?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The experience was inconvenient and amateurish. And it\u2019s happened to me more than once.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Super-Long Wait Times<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The second problem I\u2019ve experienced at both Chipotle locations near me are the incredibly long wait times to get my food. \u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

On 3 separate occasions, after ordering my food online, I\u2019ve waited for almost an hour (alongside 5-10 other aggravated customers<\/em>) to get my food.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It should be noted that I\u2019m not an idiot<\/em>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I know small businesses are experiencing severe labor shortages. I have eyes!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"eyes\"<\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In the case of Chipotle, I\u2019d estimate that each restaurant is operating with 50% less staff. That sucks!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I know what you\u2019re thinking.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you know that, why are you bitching about how long it takes to get your food<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Because I want<\/em> to eat Chipotle\u2019s food (sounds a bit spoiled. Sorry<\/em>). I like it that much. Wait. That\u2019s<\/em> kind of a problem too.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

At Times, The Taste Is Off<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The third problem has to do with taste.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

More specifically, on more than one occasion, the food I ordered wasn\u2019t very good. It didn\u2019t taste right. Something was \u201coff<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Now I don\u2019t think corporate changed any of their recipes. I 100% feel it\u2019s employee related.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I know from my own experience in the restaurant business, employees who don\u2019t get a lot of training tend to mess things up. A lot<\/em>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Again, I\u2019d like to remind you that I\u2019m not an idiot.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I understand that these days, restaurants like Chipotle need to go with the employees they have, regardless of their experience, knowledge, or training. It\u2019s about having enough bodies to keep the business afloat.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Unless the operation is so bad it\u2019s going to end up closing<\/a> anyway-because it has become so poorly run. Which has always been a common theme in the food-service business.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Again, they aren\u2019t enough trained employees because who has time to train employees while owners or managers are just trying to keep their businesses above water?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What an ugly cycle!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

But I may have a partial solution.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Franchising<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As in Chipotle franchises!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Chipotle Needs To Make Chipotle Franchises Available<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

You may not know this, but at one time, Chipotle did<\/em> have a few franchise units. Not anymore though, even though it\u2019s been discussed.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

From the Associated Press<\/a>:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cBack in 2018, Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol announced that the company would be considering the possibility of franchising Chipotle Mexican Grill. As of now, Chipotle still owns all of its stores.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The restaurant chain bought back the few Chipotle that it had sold so that it would be a completely corporate-owned commodity.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

While the possibility of the company once again going into talks about franchising, they have yet to make any concrete announcements regarding the matter. As of now, investors cannot even license out Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants like one might be able to with a Starbucks, for example<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What if Chipotle franchises<\/b> were available? Would you open one?\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Would you open one? Or two? Or 10?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Chipotle Doesn\u2019t Want To Franchise<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

“We believe that companies franchise for two reasons<\/em>,” says Chris Arnold, Chipotle’s communications director. “Either they need money to grow or they need operators to run restaurants<\/em>. Chipotle doesn’t need either<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

That quote<\/a> was from 2015. So what\u2019s changed?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

For one, Steve Ells<\/a> (founder<\/em>) stepped down from the board. He had already relinquished his role as CEO because of the food safety issues the chain experienced a couple of years ago. And his replacement, Brian Niccol<\/a>, has done a good job. And his motto, \u201cWe want to give every customer a great experience every time<\/em>,\u201d is a good one. And it\u2019s a great goal to keep top of mind.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Then the pandemic hit.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

And Chipotle fell short.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

That said, it\u2019s still a good operation. But it\u2019s not a great one<\/strong>. Like before. Like it needs to be now, franchise or not.\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

How Converting Local Chipotle Locations Into Franchise Locations Would Be A Win-Win<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I\u2019m convinced that local owners<\/a>-franchisees, would do a better job than local managers. Why?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Because as owners, they\u2019d have real skin in the game. Not employee<\/em> skin.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Furthermore, experience tells me that owners care a lot more than employees do.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Not that being an employee is a bad thing, or that there aren\u2019t employees who act as if they\u2019re owners. Which is what I did when I was an employee.<\/p>\n

In fact, I pretended that the business was mine, and I did whatever I could (in my limited power as an employee<\/em>) to make things go smoothly and to right wrongs. But I didn\u2019t have money tied up in the business. Like franchisees do.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Paid Counting GIF<\/a>from Paid GIFs<\/a><\/div>\n