Took my dad to Chipotle for the first time last week and watching him order made me realize how weird the whole setup is. He's 64. Not technologically challenged, not confused about how restaurants work. Just a guy who's never eaten at Chipotle. We stood in line for a few minutes. He looked at the menu, decided he wanted a chicken bowl, and figured he was ready. Then we got to the counter. "White or brown rice?" "What's the difference?" "Black or pinto beans?" "Uh, which one's better?" "Any fajita veggies?" "Are those extra?" By the time we got to the salsa station he looked like he was taking an exam he hadn't studied for. The employee was actually really patient. Nobody did anything wrong. But there were people waiting behind us, and I could see my dad getting increasingly uncomfortable about holding up the line. He ended up saying yes to whatever I suggested just to get through it. Afterward he said the food was great, but he wished he'd known what all the options were before he started ordering. And honestly, he's right. The menu above the counter tells you the basic entree and protein choices, but so much of the actual meal gets decided while you're standing directly in front of someone trying to serve 40 other people. If you've been going for years, you know the routine. You can practically recite your order in your sleep. But for someone new, it's this weird combination of a customizable restaurant and a timed oral exam. Would it really be that difficult to have a big, readable list of every ingredient near the beginning of the line? Maybe even which ones cost extra? I feel like it would make things easier for employees too. Curious if anyone working there has noticed this with first-time customers, or if I'm just realizing something everyone else figured out years ago.   submitted by   /u/TrissM0jito8 [link]   [comments]