A part of me has always been mystified by the idea that fast food chains approach the concept of R&D in such wildly different ways. I wrote a review for Chipotle’s new red chimichurri sauce here where I discuss their reticence to add anything to their restaurant’s menu that falls outside the parameters of their…
The Lunch Break
The Lunch Break – The Red Chimichurri at Chipotle
Since Steve Ells began Chipotle in July 1993, the offerings have always been quite limited. At its core there’s only so many items to mix and match on the entrée selection. And sure, this ultimately yields millions of permutations but the genius behind the fast casual concepts like Chipotle have been in the simplicity of…
The Lunch Break – The Ultimate Italian Toasted Sub at Jimmy John’s
For the majority of Jimmy John’s history they’ve been serving up cold subs. They’ve managed to find success through a contingent of loyal customers that prefer their cheeses and their meats and their bouncy bread unblemished by the heat of a broiler. But as of March 3, 2025 that all changed. Each store is now…