6 Reasons Chipotle Proves That Capitalism Is Amazing

1. For about $10, you gain access to an entire kitchen of gourmet chefs, who work with only the finest cuts of protein and veggies. To produce a similar burrito without Chipotle would require raising your own cows, avocados, poultry, pigs, tending to a vegetable garden, and managing a rice crop. This would be inefficient and time consuming.

Related: Read “Why Don’t All Sandwiches Cost $1,500?“

2. These aforementioned culinary artists don’t insult your autonomy with a plat du jour; they create each and every burrito as a custom piece of art…. just for you. By carefully managing their supply chain, they have created the best of both worlds: custom orders made with fresh ingredients. This is the miracle of capitalism: it improves both the quantity and quality of our products. When you dine at Chipotle, you have more choices than kings had a century ago! Have your burrito and eat it, too.

3. In ancient Greece, early pre-Socratic philosophers referred to Chipotle’s sour cream as “the nectar of the gods.” I can neither confirm nor deny that I’ve ordered sides of their sour cream and eaten with just a spoon.

4. In a brilliant strategic move, the creators of Chipotle decided to charge extra for a serving of their famous guacamole. Surely they were familiar with Say’s Law and the impact it would have on the guacamole demand curve. Production comes before consumption. It doesn’t matter if other restaurants offer “free guacamole” if they are constantly running out of it! When guacamole isn’t available because it’s sold out, the resulting price might as well be infinity. The executives at Chipotle intuitively understand economics, even if they aren’t familiar with economists like Jean-Baptiste Say. By charging extra, they have a built in buffer against the up-and-down seasonality of avocado availability, which ensures the people who value it most are able to buy it. Like me! Besides, I trust “free” guacamole like I trust free healthcare from the VA. Which is to say, not much. Sorry, Qdoba.

5. You can consume an entire day’s worth of calories in a Chipotle burrito. And that burrito typically includes fresh veggies, protein, carbohydrates, and plenty of vitamins and minerals. This is a feature, not a bug. Heck, this guy ate Chipotle every day for a year and achieved a physique most guys only dream of. When it comes to food, quality over quantity! The good news is that Chipotle delivers both.

6. They say money can’t buy happiness, but have you ever seen a sad person eating a Chipotle burrito? Chipotle is like taking an elevator up Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.