The restaurant chain Chipotle has received a great deal of attention since it released its animated ad campaign featuring Scarecrow, a fictional food factory worker turned farmer and food provider. New Yorker blogger Elizabeth Weiss posted this article in September 2013.
Read it here: Weiss, “What does ‘The Scarecrow’ tell us about Chipotle?”
- Weiss presents quite a few points of view as well as evidence from a variety of sources. How well does she synthesize all of the material? Explain your reasoning. Which evidence from her article impressed you the most? Why?
- Weiss cites food writer Michael Pollan’s response to Chipotle’s new campaign. Pollan is encouraged by the idea that people are more interested and will make decisions based on information about where their meat comes from and how it was raised and processed. How interested are you in that information? Do you take such information into account when you shop? When you eat at restaurants? Why or why not?
- Weiss points out that one challenge to improving fast food meat quality is that even if chains like McDonald’s wanted to adopt Chipotle’s sourcing standards, “the market couldn’t begin to meet its demand.” There aren’t enough farms using sustainable agriculture practices to supply the close to one billion pounds of beef McDonald’s uses each year. What do you think would happen if McDonald’s did initiate a program to use more sustainably sourced and less chemically-treated meats? Would you favor such an effort on McDonald’s part? Why or why not?
- As Weiss notes, Chipotle does a much better job than other fast food companies when it comes to procuring healthier and more sustainable meats as well as providing more source information to customers. Still, the ad campaign has been criticized because it “elides Chipotle’s real-life meat sourcing with the aesthetics of a vegetable harvest.” Where do you stand? Is Chipotle more deserving of praise or criticism? Write an essay in which you address that question, taking Weiss and the sources she cites as your They Say. You may also want to cite the Chipotle Scarecrow video (a link is in the article); use screen shots accompanied by written descriptions.
I agree with Elizabeth Weiss's statement that "Chipotle offers much more transparency about its meat’s origins than most fast-food restaurants. Still, Chipotle falls short of the film’s ideals." In other words, it seems as if Chipotle is trying to make its meat's sources and ingredients known, but it does not live up to the image of picking vegetables right out of the garden. Not to mention the fact that Chipotle left the meat out of the scarecrow's taco, implying that they're not telling us everything.
Posted by: J | 10/29/2013 at 07:54 AM
I concur with Pollan's encouragement over the idea that the general public are interested in making and/or basing their meat buying decisions around where the meat comes from. Like most people, I myself would like to know more about where our meat comes from and how it's raised and slaughtered. Then again, like most people, I do not actively seek answers to these questions, nor do I research the products that are sold in my favorite grocery. To top that off in a frighting self realization, I have never, not once, questioned [the meat] I am served at a restaurant. The only real reason I can give anyone as to why this is not a common practice is a mixture of complacency and lack of interest. Do I think I could change my practices when it comes to buying meat? I could, but it is unlikely. The fact is, like many others, I'm set in my ways. This is both unnerving and disturbing, but true. Maybe one day in the not so distant future we can see changes like this in the future.
Posted by: Zackary Bruley | 10/30/2013 at 10:00 PM
I find myself siding wholeheartedly with the Scarecrow and, in turn, Chipotle. While I understand Chipotle’s beef if not 100% sustainable, I still believe that their efforts make them a better option than some of their competitors. Furthermore, Chipotle notifies their customers when “conventional” meat is used. In other words, Chipotle is honest with its customers about where their meat comes from. So while Chipotle may not be as close to the garden as the Scarecrow depicts, at least they have taken steps to get there.
Posted by: Kaylee E. | 11/03/2013 at 04:55 PM
If a fast food restaurant like McDonald's were to initiate a program to use more sustainably sourced meat and less chemically treated meat, there would be more farms using sustainable agriculture practices as long as they were paid enough by McDonald's. I would be in favor of McDonald's using more sustainably sourced meats because, then I would know what I was putting in my body.
Posted by: Heather S | 11/03/2013 at 06:55 PM
I agree with Pollen's view that people would be more willing to buy food that they knew where it came from and how it was treated. When I go to buy vegetables, I love to go to the local farmer's market up the road. It might be a little more expensive, but it does taste so much fresher then Wal-Mart's vegetables. Even after having our family's tomato farm in our backyard, many of our neighbor's prefer our tomatoes due to the information that they have on its origins. Even though I have not asked a restaurant owner where their meats come from, after watching this video and reading the article I might just find myself requesting such information.
Posted by: Ashley F. | 11/04/2013 at 12:17 AM
Though I respect Chipotle's honest actions in making the knowledge about their meat sourcing available to the public to make their own judgments, I must agree with Mr.David Sirota's assertion that Chipotle paints a much more pleasing picture with their use of the Scarecrow's garden. I find this sort of media to be a rather blatant use of 'rose-tinted glasses', and believe that if they made a marketing commercial which stated their honest sourcing and commitment to a better meal for their customers it would go over better with more of their public critics.
Posted by: Michael D. Wells | 11/04/2013 at 11:08 PM
I agree with the idea of using a familiar figure for people to relate with their food. More companies should produce a more personal relation with the food their trying to sell. If more companies did this there would be better food quality for consumers.
Posted by: Sandra Jones | 11/05/2013 at 08:33 PM
Chipolte should be commended for their approach to fast food. Getting a quick meal that you actually know what is in the food is a novelty. As the article states it would be near impossible for McDonald's to do the same. If McDonalds did use the pure beef, the prices would increase too much for McDonald's to make a profit.
Posted by: Sharon Northcutt | 11/06/2013 at 04:00 AM
When I'm shopping or eating, honestly I don't really think about how an animal has been treated in order to end up as fried food on my plate. The thoughts are somewhat disgusting, actually, and that's why I don't wonder about them while I'm eating. The same is occurring while I'm grocery shopping - I'm not thinking about the way the animal was treated, I'm merely thinking of what else is on the grocery list. Although if I know that a restaurant or a farm is harming animals or getting their products through an inhumane way, then I'm genuinely going to switch from that product to another more healthy and humane one.
Posted by: Morgan Pollard | 11/06/2013 at 09:14 AM
“The Scarecrow” is a fine concept; however the consumer should not forget that Chipotle is a major fast food corporation whose number one goal is to make money. This company would like to have their consumers believe their main goal is to make the world a better place by serving better food, but turning a profit is the number one goal for any fast food chain. The story of “The Scarecrow” is truthful, but it does not tell the whole truth. Chipotle is doing a great job serving healthier food that has minimal conventional enhancements. Their vegetables are properly grown on a farm as the commercial would suggest. Their majority of their meat is humanely farmed, but a portion of their supply unfortunately still comes by way of factory-farming. This is the reason no livestock is shown on “The Scarecrow’s” idealistic farm, because it would be a lie to depict Chipotle’s meat as completely naturally grown. In the article, Weiss writes,” Chipotle also tries to avoid cattle raised with antibiotics or growth hormones, though only about eighty per cent of its beef meets that standard.” If Chipotle had the means to serve completely sustainable beef, I believe they would. That would cost the company way too much money, and they would not turn a good profit. It is significantly cheaper to factory farm cattle than to grass feed and raise them the traditional way. Chipotle seems to be caught in the middle of two forces pulling in opposite directions. This corporation wants to better their competition by serving the best food possible. However, Chipotle needs to continue to make a healthy profit, and that means having to use factory farmed meats. There is no problem with “The Scarecrow”, because it is just advertising. The cartoon does not lie, but it does not paint the entire picture. I believe Chipotle is bettering itself as a company and ultimately moving towards completely sustainable meats.
Posted by: Claudio Alfaro | 11/12/2013 at 02:06 PM
What does “The Scarecrow” Tell Us about Chipotle? This article seems to attack a company that has made more healthy decisions than most companies. Is this a slander campaign from a larger company like McDonald’s? Or could this be possibly the multimillion dollar burrito seller, Taco Bell. We all need to realize this is a commercial and nothing in this commercial said that everything at this restaurant is healthy for you they still have soda for those craving something packed with artificial fillers and other ingredients. The company has not stated they are the healthy choice, just healthier than those who use antibiotic and steroid injected animals. Educating consumers about what they are ingesting could go a long way. Let’s not only get a nutrition guide with calorie and fat counters, but a list of all chemicals eaten by, or injected into the animal itself. The simple fact of where they are getting their pork, chicken, and eighty percent of their beef from says a lot about the direction the company wants to go. No steroids or antibiotics, and some free grazing animals. This is a healthier choice. And even if Chipotle is trying to cash in on the consumer's fears about certain agricultural methods this still does not take away from the fact that the steroids and antibiotics have been found to be unhealthy. I think a good thing to do for the benefit of this country and the ever growing American waist band, would be to show what these animals are made of. Show a small child what it is they are eating. A good thing about this article is that it shows a company who is making choices beneficial for consumers. This should sustain a longer living customer as well. I for one will be a customer of Chipotle due to this article.
Posted by: Kristy Ultreras | 11/17/2013 at 05:37 PM
It is disheartening to know we live in a world where the fictional portrayal of the food industry in “The Scarecrow” is not too far off. Obviously there are not mechanical crows ordering around scarecrows but, concerning the products we eat, it is not always what it seems. Chipotle's attempt at distancing themselves from the rest of the fast food industry, though admirable, was dishonest. When it is all said and done, Chipotle is major fast food company who's main goal is to be profitable. If this means they have to make a smear add designed to appear as an honest eye-opening message then so be it. It should be noted that Chipotle uses pounds on pounds of meat daily and did not show them doing so in their “Scarecrow” add. As nice as it would be for us to live in a world where we get out meat directly from a farm where everything is pure and fresh, it's not possible. With the world's population at what it is at and with the time needed for un-altered animals to mature, it would not be possible to feed everyone. There are ways to provide the families who are interested in having only the freshest, farm-grown food but, the reality of the matter is that we need genetically altered chickens and cows. The demand for meat will not decrease at anytime so we must do what is necessary. The living situations for these animals does not have to be as cruel as it is. These animals are contained in tight cages where they can hardly move and are treated inhumanly. This being said, we as people cannot expect fast food places to be hold to the standard of pure farm-fresh food. Chipotle attempting to come across as being different, is fine, until they lead people to believe false truths.
Posted by: Sean Molles | 11/27/2013 at 01:46 AM
The Chipotle commercial is using the scarecrow to show how food in today’s American lifestyle is being made. The chicken is injected with a chemical that makes it grow twice its size in order for it to feed more people. It also shows the label on the beef is called “100% Beef-ish,” which is stating that the meat is not all beef, and it contains other substances in it. It is showing how today we do not know what is going into our bodies, but we decide to eat processed foods anyways. The honest scarecrow is sad to see how the animals are just raised to be food, and he wants to see a difference. By growing organic vegetables he is promoting that Chipotle restaurants use organic vegetables in their foods, along with non-processed meats. The article states that even if McDonalds wanted to join Chipotle’s example, they would not be able to because of the high demands they have in their meats. I think the commercial is an excellent way to advertise the restaurant, but I do not like the fact that the scarecrow works in a factory farm. I do not like the fact that the scarecrow works at a factory farm but is going against what he works for. I think the honest scarecrow was a smart way of advertising because Chipotle is stating that the company does not lie to its consumers about the food they use. This article makes me think of where I buy my food and if it is actually “organic” or “all natural.” I will look more into the products I buy because of the information provided by this article. I have not been a big fan of Chipotle, but this article makes me more interested in buying their foods. I do not want to continue eating food that is injected with growth hormones, or other chemicals to make the animal grow faster, or larger. This commercial article makes me more interested on watching what I eat, along with eating less from fast food places, because I will be a contributor to the factor farming industries.
Posted by: Jeannette Montes | 12/13/2013 at 01:40 AM
When it is time to shop for food many people have no idea what is in them or where they come from, they just buy the one that looks better. In America foods are chosen by the way they look. America has taught us that food needs to look a certain way to be healthy. However knowing where your food comes from and what is in it, is a better way for people to make decisions. Elizabeth Weiss talks about Chipotles new advertisement video, and she says, “Chipotle is not only tasty it’s virtuous.” In this video a scarecrow travels to the city to see how the food they serve is being processed. It show factory farming abusing animals, but at the end it shows us that knowing where food comes from will help us make better decisions. But we have to consider the possibility that Chipotle is only seeking for more customers after all they are a fast food industry. Chipotle argues that they buy the healthiest meets and foods they can get. Because at the end of the day the scarecrow goes home to grow his own foods and vegetables, and creates a healthier meal. I agree that people need to know more about their food, so we can make healthier choices and reduce obesity. Making better choices will only affect the fast food industries but at least people will not suffer from overweight. Using more organic foods can help obesity to go down. And Chipotle is using all those options to make a healthier burrito. The scarecrow is a smart way to tell the consumers that they do not ever lie about where their food comes from or what it is made of. Factory farming is the reason why many fast food industries are so unhealthy. Because of Factory farming the meets we eat and other foods make people obese.
Posted by: Avalos, Itzel | 03/11/2014 at 12:40 AM
I do agree that more people would be willing to buy certain foods knowing where it came from and what treatments were used on it. Heck i would! I don't want to put something in my body that I have no clue where it came from or what happened to it. With that being said, people will pay more just to know that specific foods weren't sprayed with chemicals and pesticides. I like how Chipolte doesn't lie to their customers about what is in their foods unlike McDonalds. When Chipolte says that their beef is "100% Beef-ish" this is them letting you know that it is not 100% beef. They are upfront and honest. They do in fact grow/get 100% fresh vegatables which most companies don't. Using local markets and gardens to buy their supplies helps the local business and the economy as a whole. They want to make you more aware of what they are doing different oppose to other companies. McDonalds on the other hand doesn't inform their customers no these needs. They can't get fresher meats without significantly raising their prices. Chipolte's number one goal is to have a healthier world. They want obesity rates to decrease and want everyone to make the healthier choice.
Posted by: Courtney Doyle | 10/19/2014 at 10:35 PM
When I read this article, I had to stop and look on youtube for these two videos. The authentic Chipotle advertisement and the Funny or Die video looked like comparing apples and oranges. Weiss constructs her ideas well by giving us the two videos, and then choosing her side immediately after. Weiss is advising us that "The Scarecrow" is a great concept. Chipotle is doing a great job in setting the bar higher for fast food restaurants. I believe that Panera, Dunkin Donuts, and Chilis have started making a healthier meat decisions because of Chipotle's example. Also, humans are not ignorant. I believe we have a general understanding of where to buy healthy food when we can. I know that Chipotle is healthier than McDonalds because of the publicity when the truth comes out. Researchers are throwing out so many results of the fast food restauraunts that we eat at, that that should be our nutritional table from now on. As far as shopping on our own, most likely the foods we cook at home will not only be healthier, but it provides us with a sense of security that we know how it was prepared. That is what we need to be cautious of. Where the meat comes from is one thing, but are the stores keeping up with the kosher preparation guidelines? Next, If a huge corporation such as McDonalds started using sustainable agricultural meats, that would slow down their business more than they could afford. Healthy farm grown animals would need to eat more expensive foods, require 5x more of the space that they normally receive, and in the end, would not be as large and full of fat. This can fly easier for Chipotle and other small fast food companies that charge $12 for a meal and remain the small size that they are. They only concern with Chipotle's commercial is when they failed to show the scarecrow preparing meats. They are not a vegetarian store and should not claim to be. Color vegetables are probably better for marketing that the color of meats though. Every company makes their decisions for their own reasons. I'm just glad that there are still some reasonable food out there that will not make me sick.
Posted by: Daniel Souder | 10/28/2014 at 07:37 PM
Weiss cites food writer Michael Pollan’s response to Chipotle’s new campaign. Pollan is encouraged by the idea that people are more interested and will make decisions based on information about where their meat comes from and how it was raised and processed. How interested are you in that information? Do you take such information into account when you shop? When you eat at restaurants? Why or why not?
Chipotle definitely stands out among other popular fast food chains. It restores some faith in humanity to know that at least one company strives for quality meat and the humane production of quality meat. Many consumers are still uneducated on where the'r food comes from let alone how badly it is actually produced in the terms of being produced in an appropriate, natural, environment. I agree with the movement of educating the public on the type of meat they are consuming because this produces curiosity which yields the desire to know more about their food. However, Chipotle is still a large for profit corporation. And like many others it needs and wants to make money. As a customer, knowing what I am consuming is important to me and I perceive it as being an act of respect towards it's customers because food is a personal choice and everyone has a right to know the contents of their food.
Posted by: Jessica Holanda | 10/28/2014 at 09:06 PM
Ultimately I believe that the Scarecrow is a wonderful idea from Chipotle. But looking back at the statement where Weiss cites Michael Pollan's response does not convince me that people are actually more interested. Admittedly I have never asked where the meat I am being served has come from, or how it was processed. About two weeks ago my highschool debate class actually watched the scarecrow video and we had a discussion on it. While many of the viewers agreed that it had a great point, they also agreed that it would not impact the way they eat. Most people just order what they like and dont ask questions about the food. I feel that knowing where the meat has come from is imporant, but getting every person to feel that way would be difficult. Most people are set in their ways and will not deviate from their normal eating habits.
Posted by: Andrew McElhinny | 10/28/2014 at 10:03 PM
I agree people would want to buy foods if they knew where it came from. People would do anything to get food that they know where its coming from. Even pay more, its your body. On the label it shows that its Beef-ish which just means that it simply not all beef. I think the "scarecrow" is the same ordeal with any other restaurant. Its all soda pop, fake food, nothing that is 100 percent beef, not healthy. Nothing special about any fast food place. Lets not compare them all. The research about the details on how its processed at the end of the day won't matter because people will still consume and theres nothing but fast food to eat now a days. Unless you want to spend a fortune.
Posted by: Kaitlin Andersen | 10/28/2014 at 11:33 PM
I have seen Chipotle's commercial starring Scarecrow and it is very moving. I don't agree with the way we treat animals before they are killed to feed us. We shove them in tiny pens and slit their throats while they are still alive. it is completely wrong and inhumane. Unfortunately, that is what makes money and America is not going to change it just because people are upset. I am glad that Chipotle has started this trend of being organic and humane. The food is healthier for us, and also better for the animals. And if they've become this big by being a humane company, others will follow.
Posted by: Ashley Hemstreet | 10/29/2014 at 09:27 PM
I actually saw the commercial when I was at the movie theater a few months ago. It does hit you hard to see the way the animals are being treated by the industrious company and moves you to question how closely this represents the evils of real life. In the advertisement the scarecrow is obviously meant to represent the Chipotle franchise which has claims to be free of selling foods which come from inhumane sources. How true this is I am not sure; however, If they care as much to make such a commercial about it I have confidence and trust that they are honest. Their example should not go ignored, its a known fact that much of the meat we consume comes from slaughterhouses where animals are treat inhumanely and aren't given much of a life at all. Hopefully these evils will change in the near future and we will be able to consume other foods which we know have "kind" meat such as Chipotle.
Posted by: Tyler Clark | 10/29/2014 at 11:49 PM
i like how chipotle is honest with their customers and tells them when they are using conventional meat. i like how they put the animals in their being genetically growing and how its wrong. in the commercial it is basically saying that they use real meat instead of "fillers".no matter where the food comes from people are still going to eat the fast food the same way but i do like chipotle more because they tell yo basically what you are eating.
Posted by: Ben Hancock :) | 11/03/2014 at 09:33 PM
I like how the executives of Chipotle express their transparency, a little more than most fast food restaurants, and admit to attempting to deal with only farmers of, what I would nowadays is, kinder better treatment of livestock. Example is dealing with the company the article mentions for their pork, Niman Ranch. Also, it is admitted that there is gray area when it comes to foods that restaurants are going to serve. The truth is, from my own experience in restaurants, it is difficult to produce a good grass fed beef or antibiotic free chicken and deliver that at a price consumers are willing to pay. One option, in example, would be to keep different stocks of beef on hand for those who want it. The paleo diet types wanting the good grass fed beef to the ones who want meat at a decent price and have little care for how it is raised or produced. Alas, though, I do not know of very many restaurateurs who would be able to keep their doors open practicing like this. In closing though, Chipotle is to be commended for their own practices and attempts to deliver healthier fast-food to it's clients. The only thing I would argue with about the Scarecrow is instead of offering a game to play and follow on twitter inform the consumer about where to go so that they can see Chipotle's transparency.
Posted by: Brian S. Fairchild | 03/29/2015 at 05:31 PM
Since McDonald's is already in such high demand, if they did decide to go for more sustainably sourced meat, I think customers would be admirable to their change. However, because McDonalds already has the reputation for using conventionally raised meat, people would have a difficult time adjusting to the new approach. Although I do occasionally eat at McDonalds, I would favor the efforts to change where they are receiving their meat. I do agree that Chipotle's commercial was a great way in introducing how Chipotle is receiving their meat supply and being honest with its consumers. Although most people are going to just continue eating fast food as usual, its a step in the right direction and great example of people other fast food chains to follow. It's unfortunate that people are already set in their ways when it comes to eating fast foods, but little by little there is some impact the commercial makes on consumers.
Posted by: Kaylin Graham | 09/11/2015 at 09:51 AM
I agree with Sharons comment that Chipotle should be commended for what they are doing. I personally do not eat chipotle however, I notice that they are doing a much better marketing job than most other franchises by telling you what you actually eat. When you walk in the store, there are more warning labels than almost any other fast food chain. Another problem most fast food chains have is that if they choose to get higher quality food, then prices will go up dramatically and turn off customers.
Posted by: Justin Gorton | 09/13/2015 at 04:45 PM