Why Chipotle customers are holding the phone
When I first read the headline about Chipotle’s “phone rule,” I immediately jumped to the wrong conclusion.
I had assumed that the quick service restaurant’s employees had decided to take revenge on customers who practically ignore them by staring at their devices as their order is prepared.
These customers would get smaller portions, I imagined, or perhaps ingredients that were a little less fresh.
Instead, it turns out that it’s the customers who are taking revenge – by shaming the company and its alleged skimpiness on social media using footage their phones capture.
‘Phoning it in’ takes on new meaning
As reported by The Independent, a food blogger was among the first to film the contents of his rather sparce burrito bowl and post it on TikTok, igniting a flood of empathetic comments and apparently copycat behavior:
The alleged “phone rule” has seen several customers filming themselves at Chipotle, as they hold their phones up to workers building their customized orders. According to TikTokers, the supposed “phone rule” incentivizes workers to give customers more food due to the pressure of being recorded.
Chipotle has responded with a tongue-in-cheek video of its own, as well as official comments insisting its portions remain the same. What I haven’t seen so far is much sympathy for the staff who are being subjected to a highly unpleasant employee experience (EX).
The tricky thing about trust
Brands and customer experience (CX) technology providers talk a lot about trust as the cornerstone of building strong relationships, but Chipotle’s phone rule shows two things:
- How quickly customer suspicions set in.
- How customers can now act upon their suspicions in ways other than taking their business elsewhere.
Trust in a CX context is also usually discussed in terms of how appropriately a brand handles customer data and generally delivers on its promises. In this case, Chipotle customers are offering an important reminder that value for money is a potentially even more important trust factor as consumers grapple with high inflation (and the spectre of shrinkflation).
Combatting the phone rule
The phone rule could certainly expand well beyond Chipotle, stoking the kind of ire that impairs EX and CX alike. Prohibiting people from filming would be difficult to enforce, and might undermine trust even further. The only real solution to provide real value consistently enough that customers don’t stoop to evidence-gathering.
For those working in CX roles in brands outside the QSR sector, I’d also suggest asking yourself if there’s a point in the journey where customers might be tempted to apply a similar phone rule, even if they aren’t able to capture the experience with one. Where might they want to put more scrutiny on the return they’re getting for their purchase, and even broadcast it to their friends and family?
It’s worth pointing out that Chipotle’s motto is “food with integrity.” You may not taste it in a burrito bowl, but it’s what makes people hunger to repeat an experience over and over again.
