Chipotle food controversy yet to hit local restaurants
It appears that most Chipotle customers remain loyal and supportive during the Mexican restaurant chain’s food-related trouble over the past five months.
Chipotle has struggled to prevent bacterial and viral outbreaks that have sickened hundreds of people in a dozen states.
On Wednesday, Chipotle, based in Denver, announced it received a federal grand jury subpoena last month as part of an ongoing criminal investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Chipotle restaurants in Colorado have yet to report any outbreaks.
KRDO NewsChannel 13 spoke with customers at several restaurants and found few people who said they have stopped eating there.
“I used to eat there all the time,” said Paige Riner. “But I’m trying to stay away for a while to see if (the outbreaks end). I haven’t eaten there in six months and I want to give it another six months before I try it again.”
Chulee Johnson ordered food from a Chipotle but had mixed feelings about it.
“I’m a little nervous now, so I’ll see how this affects me,” she said. “If it does affect me, then I certainly won’t be eating (there) any more.”
Other customers say they’ll continue to visit Chipotle.
“I’d say with what’s going on in the rest of the country, the standards have to be higher now,” said Ben Corbett. “So it’d probably be safer to eat it now than any other time.”
Jesse Hand spoke matter-of-factly about the situation.
“It’s kind of part and parcel with the food industry, with inherent problems,” he said. “I’m guessing that since they know there’s problems, they’re probably going to do something about it.”
Some customers said business appeared normal at local Chipotle restaurants, while others said they noticed slightly fewer customers than usual.
Chipotle’s problems haven’t been easy to digest on Wall Street, either. The company’s stock fell 22 points after Wednesday’s subpoena announcement and has dropped nearly 300 points in the past three months.
