I have always been a super healthy eater. I love fresh food, and especially love my vegetables. My kids love going to Chipotle because we can walk there from our house, it’s super quick, and they love the simple and basic menu. It is also a great deal at only $4.75 for a kids meal (and you know I love a good deal!)!
However, I personally never want to eat there because I don’t feel like it is a healthy meal. There is not one substantial vegetable on the menu. You can get a lettuce base, and there are tomatoes and grilled peppers and onions, but that’s essentially it. If I feel this way, there must be millions of people out there who are looking for a fast and healthy option, including vegetarians and vegans, who have scratched Chipotle off their list. HOWEVER, if they just added steamed broccoli, spiralized zucchini, or ONE other decent vegetable to their menu, I think it would be a game-changer. I could make a salad with lettuce, and add a protein, salsa, corn, the “new” vegetable, and a side of guacamole, and actually walk away feeling like I had a decent and healthy meal.
Some of you may think I am a total nut, but I think about this all the time: how this single additional item could turn Chipotle into a healthy restaurant option and open the door to a new customer base. They could get themselves on every list for those watching their calories, carbs and fat, and those looking for a good vegetarian or vegan option! People who eat healthy tend to have a routine, so these new customers would become regular customers, leading to a substantial uptick in sales.
I discussed this with my husband, Brian, and he disagrees. He thinks Chipotle has probably spent a fortune testing its menu and concluded that adding another vegetable would not likely gain them customers, as people don’t go there for vegetables but for fast and good Mexican. They have likely concluded that adding a vegetable would lose them money as only a small fraction of customers would get the stupid broccoli.
What do you all think?
Now, looking at this from my standpoint as a business owner, I can easily analogize. During the decade we have been in business, I can identify several decisions and changes we made to our website and business model that may seem small, but had an enormous impact. For example, changing a word, or putting a box in a different place, or trying a particular kind of deal for the first time, were unexpectedly vital to our success over time. I am always thinking of these “small” adjustments we could make, such as whether we should be targeting grandparents. What do you all think of this idea?
One small move we made early on was adding a section to our website for parents of children with special needs. While these deals only applied to a small community, these parents were thrilled that we took the time to help them find options for their children. The goodwill it created also helped spread the word about CertifiKID.
We also recently added this quote from me to our website’s homepage:
A marketing consultant recommended it, as he felt it important for visitors to understand that there is a real mom behind our business and we are about more than just deals. It will be interesting to see if visitors experience more emotion and connection as a result.
Lastly, we recently expanded nationally and have to make sure we have offers for families throughout the country. However, our sales team naturally wants to focus where they think they will make the most money. Therefore, we recently increased commission on deals in those areas where we have a smaller presence and instantly saw an uptick in sales team activity in these new areas.
The point is, you shouldn’t necessarily overthink making tweaks and taking risks. Test new “small” ideas because they can have an outsized effect. I may be alone, but I think Chipotle should just test adding some broccoli!
