Healthy Food in a Healthy Atmosphere

It's half past noon on a cold Saturday in February, and yet the line at one Lewisburg restaurant is nearly out the door. Families and students from the nearby Bucknell University eagerly shuffle through the restaurant, all with watering mouths from the aroma of the freshly grilled chicken and the newly pressed tortillas. At first, I was astonished to see dozens of people waiting in line, and I had one question bouncing around my brain: "why?" Upon asking a local Bucknell student why waiting in line for almost 15 minutes was worth it, I have my answer: "It's Chipotle."

Figure 1

Chipotle Mexican Grill, commonly known as Chipotle, first opened its doors to hungry customers in 1993 at the franchise's first location in Denver, Colorado. Steve Ells, Chipotle's founder, started his Mexican food empire with one simple goal: to deliver delicious food using naturally raised ingredients. Over time, Chipotle expanded across the country with 2,250 stores as of 2017, with one opening in nearby Lewisburg, PA in 2016 (see figure 1). Even though the store opened in 2016, customers at next-door Jersey Mikes and Subway might have a hard time believing that, considering herds of students stampede Chipotle's doors on a daily basis.

From the outside, Chipotle may look like your typical restaurant with its bright neon white sign and grey outdoor dining area. However, that opinion surely will change once inside the store. Upon walking through Chipotle's two steel-lined glass doors, customers are immediately greeted with the smiles of its employees, as well as the distinct smells of the savory chicken and freshly diced onions used in their array of salsas. While waiting in line, employees, clad in their black Chipotle shirts and hats, were constantly observing and cleaning the dining area in order to ensure a safe and healthy atmosphere for their customers, occasionally whistling to the upbeat pop songs playing softly in the background. After working my way through the line, I order my usual Chipotle go-to meal: The Quesarito (see figure 2). For those unfamiliar with Chipotle's secret menu, it is simply a burrito wrapped in a quesadilla in lieu of a plain old tortilla. Upon sitting at one of the shiny metal tabletops and biting into my meal, I immediately remember what makes Chipotle soar miles above the competition, and that is the freshness of the ingredients.

Figure 2

Biting into my meal, I notice that the chicken was hot and juicy, providing each bite with a powerful kick that was complementary to the red-hot salsa, sour cream, and the brown cilantro-lime rice. Additionally, the flavor can only be enhanced by Chipotle's unique honey vinaigrette. The only word that can describe the taste of a Chipotle Quesarito is "Empyrean."

After finishing my meal, I sift through rows of smiling customers to reach the cashier who is a good friend of mine and Chipotle employee of 2 years, Aaron Benfer.

Aaron is a take-out specialist and has been working for Chipotle since the opening of its Lewisburg location in January of 2016. Perplexed by his position of take-out specialist, I enquire what exactly that position entails.

"I can see why you're confused," he replies with a chuckle as he removed his black guacamole-stained apron, "since we don't offer drive-thru service. We do, however, offer catering. My job is to speak with customers and oversee their orders and ensure their happiness," Aaron adds with a more serious tone.

When not working on catering orders, Aaron (see figure 3) can usually be seen behind the grill delivering that magic touch that Chipotle's chicken always seems to have, which reminds me to ask him how exactly they always keep their food fresh.

Figure 3

"Oh, that's an easy one. As you can see, we have an open kitchen. This allows the crew member working on the line to 'call out' what items are needed on the line. When an item is called, we prepare that item to not only ensure freshness but to also ensure that we don't run out of that item," Benfer indicates while gesturing toward the kitchen with his gloved hand.

Following his line of sight, I notice something I glossed over when ordering: Chipotle's kitchen truly is an "open kitchen." There are no walls between the line and the food prep stations, and this goes to show customers that their food continues to be prepared fresh and from scratch every hour.

With the line building again, Aaron can't say much more, but I am able to ask him one final question, and perhaps the most important one: "Why did you choose Chipotle and what makes it stand out above the rest?"

Eager to assist his team and please his customers, Aaron flashes me a smile while changing his gloves and putting on a clean apron, and simply explains why he feels a sense of pride when calling himself an employee of Chipotle.

"I wanted a job with happy colleagues and a strong, passionate goal. I feel that our customer service puts us miles above the competition. I'm proud to be a part of a Chipotle team that works in a healthy atmosphere."

After experiencing a wonderful meal and excellent assistance from Aaron, I can finally see why people are willing to wait in line for so long.

"It's Chipotle."