Apparently, I'm not the only one quite satisfied with the food they're serving up at our recently opened Chipotle on Austin St. The scene there Monday, 7:15 p.m. The line went around the entire place...
Well firstly, you try working at a fast food restaurant and let's see how friendly you are. Their job is to get you your food as fast as possible. If you want friendly service you might want to try a white tablecloth restaurant. Personally, I've never found them to be unfriendly, but then again I never found it necessary to say anyting to them them aside from giving them my order and "Yes, I know guacamole is extra." What did you have to speak with the manager about and why do you think the staff is very unfriendly?
I'm not saying they should tell you to fuck off, just saying don't expect overly friendly service like you would from a sit-down restaurant. This is a fast food place. Would you describe the McDonald's employees as friendly or unfriendly? Probably neither because you don't expect that from them, you just expect your food, and expect it fast. Thus, fast food. But I'd still like to know what happened to this customer to make them post their comment.
I have never encountered unfriendly staff on the 10 occasions I have been there. The line moves as fast as the staff can go and that's a feat in itself, especially at peak times. They are trying to please everyone and get them out as efficiently as possible. And they do it far more friendlier than McDs or Boston Market. Yeesh....This ain't Le Bernardin. Give these employees a break.
The sodium content of the food makes Chipotle a no-go for me these days. Previously (way back when) I was a big fan.
While I rarely frequent fast food chains, when NY passed the law requiring chains to post nutrition stats (hard to believe, but that was 5 years ago already!) I wanted to see what options were available that could be considered relatively healthy (albeit likely sodium laden).
I was actually fairly surprised back than with what Chipotle had to offer.
Chipotle’s “Food with Integrity” vision is based on the chain’s commitment to using only naturally raised meat. The chicken, beef and pork sold at Chipotle is all naturally raised without antibiotics or added growth hormone. Likewise, the cheese used at Chipotle is also hormone free making Chipotle the first national restaurant chain to eliminate rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) from its menu.
I blogged way back then about what I ordered, which was a burrito bowl with lettuce, chicken, fresh tomato salsa, peppers, and a little guacamole. A burrito bowl at Chipotle can have between 130 – 628 calories and I put this one at around 350 calories. Quite a difference from the regular burrito which has between 420 – 918 calories.
Sorry, I digress. The lines at the FoHi Chipotle seem in line with what you typically see in Manhattan. Put out decent quality food (fast or otherwise), and people will come!
Yay, Susan's back! I was curious to know what you thought about Chipotle. I too see the high sodium content and cringe, but balance it off with the other health aspects (like the ones you mentioned above). I wonder why it's so difficult to make to make fast food with less sodium. I guess they have to preserve the food. Whatever it is, the food is addicting and appreciate the lines. Good sign for the neighborhood!
Oh, I'm always checking in. Just don't feel it necessary to comment on on every posting :) Sometimes I simply just don't have an opinion (contrary to what many of my friend may think, lol).
The reason alot of fast food contains high levels of salt is because salt is a great magician. It masks bitterness and off-tastes and even can change the texture of some foods. So, if you start messing with the salt levels, you basically need to re-work recipes. That comes at a very high cost to these companies. It's simply cheaper to mask issue by adding salt.
With that said, I give Chipotle big props. They've done alot of things that I would consider very "right".
According to their website, the same chicken burrito bowl I described above has 1,070 mg of sodium. That's pretty close to my total sodium intake for a day. But, if you don't have a problem with sodium, an occasional meal like this certainly isn't going over blow your sodium intake.
Seems to only happen, as you might expect, at peak hours — during lunchtime and dinnertime. So if you want to avoid it, try to hit it up at other times.
By the way, these lines are pretty common to Chipotles around the city. I used to go to one down near Wall Street where the line went entirely around the restaurant at lunchtime, and that one was twice as big as ours!
Went to Chipotle before and threw up. Decided to give it business when I moved here, but never again.
Chipotle is a fast growing cash register. Cash for food. Lots of money ringing through the register (Cash, credit or debit) in high volume for small portions, a lower price point than some restaurants, and people actually believe the food is better for them.
While it may be true, Chipotle is better fast food in some ways and aims to show social entrepreneurship qualities, it still is a big money maker aimed to pull in high revenues which it has been doing.
How's that different from any other establishment? Even grocery stores "give food for cash", are you going to stop shopping there too? If there is a demand and people are willing to pay it, we should embrace it.
Pathetic. Is Forest Hills cuisine so unimaginative, so uninspired, so bland, that a corporate entity that is everywhere, as common as the housefly, gets a bunch of sheep lining up to beg "please take my money, kick out the mom and pop eateries, and get me nice and fat and diabetic."
Can you imagine anybody lining up for a Chipotle in Manhattan or Brooklyn? Not likely. This is why Forest Hills will never be the "hip" place to be.
As I already commented, they line up even longer in Manhattan.
Now, as for the rest of your comment, I would agree with you except: 1) Chipotle's offerings can actually be pretty healthy if you order the right things, 2) just because people line up for something, doesn't make them sheep. They can actually be passionate about something. And 3) We have only so many mom and pop eateries that are decent in Forest Hills. If we had a lot more of them, I'd agree with you. But until then...
100% agree, Anon's comments couldn't be further from reality. Manhattan is just as crowded during peak times, people wait on line for a reason...because its good. If the food is too beneath you, power to your taste buds and enjoy finer cuisine. For the rest of us, we're quite content with the goodies Chipotle offers.
Apparently anonymous has never been to Manhattan and only imagine a how cool it must be. Before I became a mom, I spent most of my time working and otherwise in Manhattan, and guess what... I had to line up at Chipotle there. Gasp. I don't know why some people think they're too good for chipotle, I can be a food snob, I've had wonderful meals at Per Se and Daniel among others, but I can still appreciate eating tasty on the (somewhat) cheap now and again. And what's up with the person complaining about chipotle aiming to make a profit. Isn't that the point of running a business. If I opened a restaurant, you better believe I'd aim to make a profit. You think people run businesses for your personal enjoyment alone? Goodwill doesn't pay the bills.
Black beans, rice, chicken , lettuce, guacamole ... What's so special about these ingredients? I can get the same thing off the truck on 71 av for about $3 cheaper.
Judging from your comment it sounds like you've never been to a Chipotle, which, if you are a fan of Mexican food and have lived in Forest Hills, and not say, Juneau, Alaska, for the past several years is hard to believe given that they are located all over the City.
You must have an enormous appetite! Enjoy your food truck! I happen to love this one that always parks on 14th St. in Mnhtn. Some of them are really good.
Very unfriendly staff , starting with the manager...
ReplyDeleteWell firstly, you try working at a fast food restaurant and let's see how friendly you are. Their job is to get you your food as fast as possible. If you want friendly service you might want to try a white tablecloth restaurant. Personally, I've never found them to be unfriendly, but then again I never found it necessary to say anyting to them them aside from giving them my order and "Yes, I know guacamole is extra."
DeleteWhat did you have to speak with the manager about and why do you think the staff is very unfriendly?
Who cares if its a fast food restaurant? You should be friendly to customers at any business you work at.
DeleteI'm not saying they should tell you to fuck off, just saying don't expect overly friendly service like you would from a sit-down restaurant. This is a fast food place. Would you describe the McDonald's employees as friendly or unfriendly? Probably neither because you don't expect that from them, you just expect your food, and expect it fast. Thus, fast food.
DeleteBut I'd still like to know what happened to this customer to make them post their comment.
I have never encountered unfriendly staff on the 10 occasions I have been there. The line moves as fast as the staff can go and that's a feat in itself, especially at peak times. They are trying to please everyone and get them out as efficiently as possible. And they do it far more friendlier than McDs or Boston Market. Yeesh....This ain't Le Bernardin. Give these employees a break.
DeleteThe sodium content of the food makes Chipotle a no-go for me these days. Previously (way back when) I was a big fan.
ReplyDeleteWhile I rarely frequent fast food chains, when NY passed the law requiring chains to post nutrition stats (hard to believe, but that was 5 years ago already!) I wanted to see what options were available that could be considered relatively healthy (albeit likely sodium laden).
I was actually fairly surprised back than with what Chipotle had to offer.
Chipotle’s “Food with Integrity” vision is based on the chain’s commitment to using only naturally raised meat. The chicken, beef and pork sold at Chipotle is all naturally raised without antibiotics or added growth hormone. Likewise, the cheese used at Chipotle is also hormone free making Chipotle the first national restaurant chain to eliminate rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) from its menu.
I blogged way back then about what I ordered, which was a burrito bowl with lettuce, chicken, fresh tomato salsa, peppers, and a little guacamole. A burrito bowl at Chipotle can have between 130 – 628 calories and I put this one at around 350 calories. Quite a difference from the regular burrito which has between 420 – 918 calories.
Sorry, I digress. The lines at the FoHi Chipotle seem in line with what you typically see in Manhattan. Put out decent quality food (fast or otherwise), and people will come!
Yay, Susan's back! I was curious to know what you thought about Chipotle. I too see the high sodium content and cringe, but balance it off with the other health aspects (like the ones you mentioned above). I wonder why it's so difficult to make to make fast food with less sodium. I guess they have to preserve the food. Whatever it is, the food is addicting and appreciate the lines. Good sign for the neighborhood!
DeleteOh, I'm always checking in. Just don't feel it necessary to comment on on every posting :) Sometimes I simply just don't have an opinion (contrary to what many of my friend may think, lol).
DeleteThe reason alot of fast food contains high levels of salt is because salt is a great magician. It masks bitterness and off-tastes and even can change the texture of some foods. So, if you start messing with the salt levels, you basically need to re-work recipes. That comes at a very high cost to these companies. It's simply cheaper to mask issue by adding salt.
With that said, I give Chipotle big props. They've done alot of things that I would consider very "right".
According to their website, the same chicken burrito bowl I described above has 1,070 mg of sodium. That's pretty close to my total sodium intake for a day. But, if you don't have a problem with sodium, an occasional meal like this certainly isn't going over blow your sodium intake.
The line wrapping around the store is what makes me not want to eat it there. But I am more than happy to bring it home!
ReplyDeleteSeems to only happen, as you might expect, at peak hours — during lunchtime and dinnertime. So if you want to avoid it, try to hit it up at other times.
DeleteBy the way, these lines are pretty common to Chipotles around the city. I used to go to one down near Wall Street where the line went entirely around the restaurant at lunchtime, and that one was twice as big as ours!
DeleteI could be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure you can order the food online, avoid the lines altogether, and pick it up when ready.
Deletehttps://order.chipotle.com/Meal/Index/1987
-D
Went to Chipotle before and threw up. Decided to give it business when I moved here, but never again.
ReplyDeleteChipotle is a fast growing cash register. Cash for food. Lots of money ringing through the register (Cash, credit or debit) in high volume for small portions, a lower price point than some restaurants, and people actually believe the food is better for them.
While it may be true, Chipotle is better fast food in some ways and aims to show social entrepreneurship qualities, it still is a big money maker aimed to pull in high revenues which it has been doing.
How's that different from any other establishment? Even grocery stores "give food for cash", are you going to stop shopping there too? If there is a demand and people are willing to pay it, we should embrace it.
DeleteMuch like weed (hehe, its a joke, come on!)
-D
Pathetic. Is Forest Hills cuisine so unimaginative, so uninspired, so bland, that a corporate entity that is everywhere, as common as the housefly, gets a bunch of sheep lining up to beg "please take my money, kick out the mom and pop eateries, and get me nice and fat and diabetic."
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine anybody lining up for a Chipotle in Manhattan or Brooklyn? Not likely. This is why Forest Hills will never be the "hip" place to be.
As I already commented, they line up even longer in Manhattan.
DeleteNow, as for the rest of your comment, I would agree with you except: 1) Chipotle's offerings can actually be pretty healthy if you order the right things, 2) just because people line up for something, doesn't make them sheep. They can actually be passionate about something. And 3) We have only so many mom and pop eateries that are decent in Forest Hills. If we had a lot more of them, I'd agree with you. But until then...
100% agree, Anon's comments couldn't be further from reality. Manhattan is just as crowded during peak times, people wait on line for a reason...because its good. If the food is too beneath you, power to your taste buds and enjoy finer cuisine. For the rest of us, we're quite content with the goodies Chipotle offers.
Delete- D
Apparently anonymous has never been to Manhattan and only imagine a how cool it must be. Before I became a mom, I spent most of my time working and otherwise in Manhattan, and guess what... I had to line up at Chipotle there. Gasp. I don't know why some people think they're too good for chipotle, I can be a food snob, I've had wonderful meals at Per Se and Daniel among others, but I can still appreciate eating tasty on the (somewhat) cheap now and again. And what's up with the person complaining about chipotle aiming to make a profit. Isn't that the point of running a business. If I opened a restaurant, you better believe I'd aim to make a profit. You think people run businesses for your personal enjoyment alone? Goodwill doesn't pay the bills.
DeleteBlack beans, rice, chicken , lettuce, guacamole ... What's so special about these ingredients?
ReplyDeleteI can get the same thing off the truck on 71 av for about $3 cheaper.
Judging from your comment it sounds like you've never been to a Chipotle, which, if you are a fan of Mexican food and have lived in Forest Hills, and not say, Juneau, Alaska, for the past several years is hard to believe given that they are located all over the City.
DeleteBeen to Chipotle, prices are too high for the small portions they sell. Food truck give you better value.
ReplyDeleteYou must have an enormous appetite! Enjoy your food truck! I happen to love this one that always parks on 14th St. in Mnhtn. Some of them are really good.
Delete