The other night, I brought home Chipotle for my Grandfather for the first time. It really wasn’t a surprise that he enjoyed his burrito, but that was not the end of it. Though he cannot see very well, the print on the cups and bag caught his attention. This particular night we were enjoying Chipotle during their “Cultivating Thought Author Series.” On one side of the bag was an excerpt in large print.
“Don’t be a jerk. Try to love everyone. Give more than you take. And do it despite the fact that you only really like about seven out of 100 people.” – Judd Apatow
I read it aloud to Grandpa, to which he chuckled. On the other side of the bag I discovered the source of the excerpt. I read the short essay aloud in its entirety, as it would have been too difficult for Grandpa to read. We went on to eat our burritos while he pondered the writing and shared some thoughts of his own. Upon finishing off every last bit of his dinner, Grandpa fetched his reading glasses. He began to read the short story on his cup and then followed it up with reading mine.
I must give props to Chipotle’s marketing genius. How often do we really spend time looking at the packaging from the food service industry? Chipotle gets my attention every time. They provide their customers with more than just food. They incorporate visual and literary art. They create an experience from beginning to end.