My letter to Chipotle

I would like to start by saying that I have always been a huge fan of Chipotle ever since I tasted my first Chipotle burrito in high school several years ago in the small town of Cupertino, CA. I was elated when I discovered students received a free drink with the purchase of their burrito. The combination of delicious burritos and a free cup for soda made Chipotle my one and only for quick and delicious meals at a decent price. In 2004 I left Cupertino to attend college in Sacramento, CA and I was pleased to find that my free Chipotle drink carried over and still applied for college students in my area..

Unfortunately, the world as I knew it turned into a distant dream when I heard rumors that Chipotle had discontinued giving free drinks to students. Wait, what upset me further was that when I went to test this rumor the cashier at Chipotle informed me they do in fact still give free drinks to students… high school students. WHAT!! I nearly exploded.

And here is where my rant truly begins.

Where on earth is the logic in charging the poorest and most loyal customers whereas those who still receive lunch money from Mommy/Daddy get catered to? Who contributes more to a community: college students or high school students? Who pays for higher education in attempts to better society? Who researches the best way to produce rBGH-free sour cream? Answer: College students.

I would like to have a real answer. I asked the cashier and all I got was a shrug, followed by “Does that have guac on it?”

I have seen thousands of college students joining together (see Facebook groups such as http://csus.facebook.com/group.php?gid=16580415203) longing for their complimentary cup to be reinstated. What happened, Chipotle? I feel like a friend has betrayed me. We were like high school sweethearts and when I left for college you went and slept with my high school little sister.