Some of you may have seen “bio cutlery” other plant based plastics. The basic idea is that instead of using petroleum to create the plastics some plant material (usually corn) is used as the basis for the containers. This is often better for the environment in some ways because plants are a renewable resource and these plastics often degrade more quickly.

Chipotle Partners with HAVI/Perseco and Cereplast for Bio Cutlery

In Millbrae California the city government is instituting a ban on non-degradable containers at restaurants. This has restaurants scrambling to find suitable alternatives for their disposable products. This is probably a good idea for restaurants to implement nationwide.

According to this press release:

Chipotle will initially use the cutlery in its Millbrae, Calif. restaurant, with a system-wide rollout in Chipotle’s approximately 800 locations expected in the near future.

This could become another way that Chipotle leads the industry in sustainable and environmentally responsible practices.

Except Chipotle Isn’t Really Planning a Change…

According to QSRMagazine Chipotle isn’t really planning this change…

Currently, through a supplier, Chipotle purchases plastic cutlery made using Cereplast Compostables resin for its one restaurant in Millbrae, California, to comply with a local ordinance. In a Dec. 15 press release, which was not reviewed or approved by Chipotle, Cereplast misstated the nature of the relationship, stating that “A system-wide rollout of up to 800 Chipotle locations is expected in the near future.”

Chipotle currently has no plans to expand its relationship with Cereplast.

NOTE: This is a followup to my earlier post about a personal tour of destination evans. The tour happened back in early October of 2007.

The Chief and the Photo

On the wall of the original chipotle (and many, if not all the other restaurants) is “The Chief”. You could make up all sorts of ideas about how he guards over the quality of the food, or the Food with Integrity program or what have you. The bottom line is, that it’s more of the cool maya-industrial art and now, much like the store is “Destination Evans” the chief gets to have his own name - at least as far as my tour guide Dave Hawkins is concerned.

Most Chipotle’s have a photo of “Chipotle #1” on the wall. At Destination Evans itself they have photos on the walls, but the photo of their own location is from when it was a Dolly Madison restaurant. I need to double check the situation, but while I’ve heard that this is the only location that doesn’t have a photo of “Destination Evans” on the wall I think there are others.

You can see the chief on the wall in the somerville chipotle which I visited recently.

Guacamole seasons

Background on CMG 2007Q2 earnings

Last quarter saw profit growth of 56% with an 8.3% growth of same store sales. That’s not half bad.

Analysts expect income of 45 cents per share and sales of $262.9million. And, in logic that only high paid investment bankers can understand, most folks expect chipotle to beat those expectations and raise guidance for Q3. Indeed.

The call starts in a half hour and can be listened to via the interweb at this investor relations page. You have to share some details about who you are. I’ll be adding more as the call passes.

Press Release Before the call

From there’s some juicy details. EPS smashed the expectation at 60 cents per share, sales beat expectations at $274.3million, and same store sales grew at 11.6%. Wow.

One interesting thought I have here is that they just mentioned “market concerns about rising labor and raw materials costs”. Chipotle’s slow adoption of higher end raw materials may buffer them against these rising prices. Until they go “100%” in any one category they can reduce the mix of organic/natural/RGBH free items. Also, as their suppliers increase the supply of these higher end raw materials it reduces the premium which chipotle has to pay for them.

Discussing Innovation

Just mentioned the “hotter more evenly heated tortillas more quickly with less effort” which must be the one I photographed at 1600 california street.

I previously wrote about the Chipotle Star, a retail employee in Minnesota. He was kind enough to get in touch and answer some questions that I had about Chipotle. The following is a list of questions I’m most curious about and his answers. Really great stuff!

(this is part 2 of the interview - part 1 of interview with a chipotle star)

Starbucks is famous for placing an emphasis on getting to know the regular customers and knowing what their orders are. Does Chipotle place any such set of instructions on how to handle regular customers?

Well, Chipotle is almost like your little “neighborhood” restaurant, and if you come in for dinner often, we’ll recognize you. We have set crews so if you come in at the same time of day we’ll know who you are. We don’t get set instructions, but they want even the lowest of crew members to act as if we own the place and act as if we were managers ourselves. They want us to talk to customers when we’re wiping down some tables, ask them if the food is good, and if it isn’t, offer them a refund. Things like that, it makes the world go round.

Now that you’ve been an employee and a customer, is there anything you would change about the food or the way the food is served to customers?

Well, since so many people order the corn, I would probably switch it from a small container to a bigger one. Perhaps change the description of it too, since I really don’t find it how it can be medium at all. It’s as mild as the fresh tomato’s.

At many restaurants the staff will have special ways of mixing ingredients to make their favorite foods that are “not on the menu”. Have you noticed any similar unusual combinations of the foods at chipotle?

I previously wrote about the Chipotle Star, a retail employee in Minnesota. He was kind enough to get in touch and answer some questions that I had about Chipotle. The following is the things I’m most curious about and his answers. Really great stuff!

What initially interested you about working at Chipotle?

Well, since my first time I’ve had Chipotle, it’s been a dream to work at Chipotle. It’s funny, because it all started as a joke a few years ago, I was just a avid fan of it, and jokingly said to my friends/family that maybe I’ll someday work there; it’s now a reality.

Has that initial interest stayed true?

Oh yeah, I’m not going to lie, it’s a dream job. I haven’t had much jobs in the past, but I don’t think it can get any better than this could.

What has surprised you the most about working at Chipotle?

First off, the managers here actually WANT you to have fun! Yeah I know, it sounds crazy, but I’m serious. These people stress that having a good time while working is key. Although being serious and quick is also key.

Secondly, it’s insane how unique some people here are. Honestly, I met some great people here, and some of them haven’t even been living here in the States for more then 2 years, and they are holding 2 jobs to support their family overseas. It’s amazing how they have that mentality to just keep working day after day. I know a guy who’s a cashier at McDonald’s, he works there during the day, and then comes right to Chipotle to do his shift here. I gripe about how I get so many hours, but I honestly have no right to complain. It just gives you a different perspective of some of the workers in restaurants and the people on the “other side of the glass.”

How are the tips split up among the employees?

chipotle is really continuing in their drive to provide socially responsible food.

a few days ago they were showing a sign that said something like “if you eat you have a diet. resolve to make yours a good one” and then talked about how their meats are all free-range hormone free etc.

today’s sign talked about how their sour cream now comes from cows that are free of bovine growth hormone. i guess that’s nice, though i don’t really know a whole lot about bgh (or rBGH as they had it on their sign).

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