by nick » Thu May 01, 2014 12:46 pm
as long as chipotle and five guys maintain the image of being 'better than fast food', they will continue to thrive. really, the higher prices work as a higher barrier of entry and it keeps those places savory to their target market. sounds wrong but think about it. people love the convenience and stability of chains (this is known), and chipotle is free of the stigmas associated with fast food. you don't have to feel ashamed to bringing your coworkers to chipotle, or walking back into your office with a chipotle bag. you definitely would with a mcdonalds bag.
as long as 'fast casual' continues to cater to the literal yuppie (young urban professionals) crowd, it shall continue to reign. seriously, conformity when it comes to lunch break choices is oddly interesting.
I'm DEFINITELY making it overcomplicated but I'm comparing the popularity of those spots to non-chains.