CHOOSING THE RIGHT FRANCHISE

Should You Buy a Chipotle Franchise?

Are you looking for a recognizable, top franchise brand to buy? Truth is, most American’s would have a hard time naming the top 10 franchise brands. What constitutes a top franchise brand? Is it the growth rate or the number of units, franchisee satisfaction rate, or maybe it’s simply longevity.

Chipotle, on the surface, would appear to qualify as a top franchise brand. Afterall, they have been in business since 1993, and, today, operate more than 1,850 restaurants. Most people think Chipotle is a well-run franchise system and would compare it to McDonald’s, Subway or Taco Bell. But, at least for now, Chipotle hasn’t had to franchise.

Chipotle In the News

In October 2015, Chipotle restaurants in Seattle, Washington and Portland became associated with an investigation of E. Coli cases administered by health department officials in the respective cites. They voluntarily chose to close 43 restaurants in those markets even though just 11 of their restaurants were directly linked to E. Coli cases.

Chipotle acted immediately to ensure food served in all states was safe for their customers. Additional E. Coli cases were found in California, New York, Ohio, Minnesota and Maryland in subsequent months. Chipotle brought in top food safety consulting firms to oversee the investigation and be certain each and every restaurant used the highest of standards when it came to food safety.

A recent incident of an E. coli outbreak and a norovirus outbreak sickened more than 190 people at a Chipotle restaurant in Boston. The company responded immediately and has gone above and beyond to ensure their restaurants are food safe.

Your Franchise Brand

If you’re considering a restaurant franchise brand, this is the kind of franchisor response you’re looking for. The integrity of the food supply is the number one priority. Ask your franchise if they have a food safety program. How often does it get reassessed to be sure the highest of safety standards is ongoing. In Chipotle’s case, there were no franchisees to be concerned about. If Chipotle had been a franchise, there’s no question some franchisees may have been exposed and their restaurant closed while the investigations concluded.

As a potential franchise owner, you need to know the industry your interested in. Are there industry franchises in the
News? What are some of the issues at hand and how will your franchisor comply.

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