This is Why Chipotle is Closing ALL Stores Feb 8 (Temporarily)
Throughout 2015, Chipotle Mexican grill experienced a multitude of E. coli outbreaks at various locations across America, giving the restaurant a less-than-favorable reputation to the masses. This is unfortunate for this restaurant in particular, as it is one who has committed in the past to remove controversial genetically modified ingredients from its food items, while moving toward healthier alternatives overall.
Here is a timeline of Chipotle’s terrible luck with food outbreaks in 2015:
- In July, 5 people in the Seattle area were sickened with E. coli. The source remains unknown.
- At least 234 people were sickened with the norovirus in Simi Valley, California. The source is unknown.
- In Minnesota, 64 people fell ill with salmonella in August and September. The source of the outbreak was found to be tomatoes served at 17 of the state’s Chipotle establishments.
- Around October 9, 52 people contracted E. coli at establishments in California, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington state.
- In December, more than 140 college students were sickened with norovirus after eating at a Chipotle in Boston’s Cleveland Circle neighborhood.
Due to the company’s moves toward being GMO-free, some individuals think the outbreaks may have even been acts of bioterrorism; it’s still just a theory, though many of us know how truth can be stranger and more unbelievable than fiction.
But no matter what, Chipotle had to make a move.
In response to this slew of E. coli outbreaks occurring in its restaurants in 2015, Chipotle recently announced that it will be temporarily shutting down all of its restaurant locations on February 8th in order to pinpoint and eliminate the bacterial issue while preventing future outbreaks.
About Chipotle’s Closing on Feb 8th
On February 8th, Chipotle will hold a live satellite feed session to tackle the issue as a team. The some 60,000 staffers will be thanked for their efforts in working to contain and deal with the issues, and employees will have a chance to have their questions answered in a Q&A. Most importantly, they will discuss how the company is implementing new food-safety measures to deter any future outbreaks.
The move comes as the company plans to launch a marketing campaign in February designed to make customers feel more secure and hopefully win back those who have shunned the restaurant due to the outbreaks.
“In early February, we’re going to have an all-company meeting, all 60,000 or so of us,” Chipotle founder and co-CEO Steve Ells reportedly told investors. “We’re going to let all of our folks know what we know about how this happened, and, in detail, all the steps we’re taking to ensure that it won’t happen again.”
“I’m confident we’ll recover from this and win back our customers,” Ells said.
What do you think about Chipotle’s 2015 outbreaks and how the company is handling the situation? Will the restaurant win you back if you were a fan?
Additional Sources:
Featured image credit: REUTERS/Mike Blake/Files
I’m a fan and will support Chipotle when they open!
i think this ecoli was intentional to shut them down .i support them ,its the only hot food i can ingest anymore where im at
I agree, from what I’ve read and heard it was staged intentionally as payback for their non GMO pledge.
E.Coli only accounted for 57 cases (approximately 12%) of the 495 cases of illness that have been reported. Norovirus caused 374 and Salmonella caused 64.
Sure, it is possible that the 3 different causes could have been part of the “sabotage” plan, then again, why bother? The damage can be made with one cause the same way it did with three different ones! This is especially when all 3 types of bacteria can be the result of unsanitary conditions or undercooked foods, and cause similar symptoms (with varying severity)…
Someone should calculate the odds of all these locations having these problems. I think it would be an astronomical number.
The 3 strains of bacteria that were reported can be the result of, as one example, undercooking food, which could be related to cooking times/temperatures or methods. It could be related to less than sanitary conditions which in theory (again) could be related to food storage/preparations methods, store closing procedures, utensils not being washed in hot enough water, or cleaning solutions not being strong enough.
While we can assume that whomever is behind this was careless enough to make things so obvious, I think we’d be much safer assuming they considered getting caught as an outcome and would have avoided it at all costs.
I should add that not only do I like Chipotle as a concept, and not only do I like their food, I actually own a few Chipotle shares. But I also know that we don’t know enough to consider this “an open and shut sabotage case”.
It wouldn’t be the first time that corporate management goofed on one procedure, or another (cooking/cleaning/training) and with Chipotle’s recent and quick expansion, some thing(s) may have been overlooked.
I’ll be lining up for Chipotle again and again.. I don’t mind the 30 minute wait lines for good healthy and nourishing food. I believe they are under attack and we have to hit back with our dollars!!
I support them whole heartedly. Down with corporate sabotage and small minded behaviors.
corporate sabotage
Now that Campbells says they want to label GMOs, are they going to be next having similar outbreaks, I wonder.
Boiled, pasteurized and sterilized. They would be hard to attack by disease.
unfortunately the GMO gene structure is not destroyed nor the Glyphosate in the ingredients they use(d).
When will it occur, that is the ultimate test.
Ref: http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Chemical.jsp?Rec_Id=PC33138
I just read a post and my response was similar. As they will have repercussions for going against Monsanto via labels.
Never left. It is a great concept and fabulous food. we regularly have many eating it at work without any problems.
I find it oddly suspicious given the many supply chains that this one outlet is hit when the same food is delivered across many markets in the local regions.
It’s just for a corporate meeting. My money goes to Monsanto to be using germ technology to terrorize Chipotles. Especially since they can genetically modify anything….I did read that the strain of E.coli was a different strain….Hope they can link Monsanto to this and Chipotle sues the snot out them….
Methinks you were ‘ got at ‘
Where I am from, we don’t even have a Chipotle Mexican grill but I fully support them for being GMO free,and I would not be surprised that the E coli outbreaks and so on have been brought on due to bioterrorism. Places like Chipotle will go a long way.
I will not stop loving Chipotle…..I hope they get control of the problems. I’m glad I get corn salsa and not the tomatoes. JS good luck guys #chipotleloverforlife
As much as I laud their non-GMO stance, it’s still…a chain…and I find it basically pablum food. That being said, if I were stuck for fast food, even with the outbreaks, I would still chose them over any other fast food chain.
Now that Campbell’s has come out in support of GMO labeling on foods I wonder when their food will start being contaminated. Corporate sabotage is alive and well.
Totally support them! I believe they were sabotoged due to tbeir anti GMO policies. We love them for that! 🙂
I thought Mcdonalds sold out to them. This must be sabotage from them after Chipotles became so successful.
Looks like Bobo has a part time job sabotaging Chipotle restaurants.