FAST CASUAL TAKES ON THE WEDDING INDUSTRY
“ Fun promotions like the recent wedding sweepstakes allow us to introduce Chipotle catering to new audiences who love eating at Chipotle ”
– Danielle Winslow , Chipotle spokesperson
as a late night snack to give wedding reception partygoers a boost of energy at the end of the night .
But it ’ s not all just benefits for the consumer . Around the time that Chipotle first launched its catering program , investing site The Motley Fool pointed out the lucrative benefits to fast casual chains as well for taking on catering as a side business : It all comes down to the margins . In most cases , fast casual caterers are able to charge higher prices than they do in-house . At places like Chipotle and Qdoba , these prices are translated to an upcharge of about 10 % to 20 % per person , while most of the other chains mentioned above have a flat fee that varies depending on the size of the party .
If there ’ s one issue holding QSR chains back in the wedding catering department , it ’ s the fact that everyone ’ s a critic . For every guest who is tired of the same warmed over chicken or fish plate , there ’ s another guest who thrives on traditional etiquette and would not be able to get over the stigma of fast food or fast casual catering . But according to Chipotle , consumers have been open and accepting of this new take on wedding tradition .
“ We ’ ve been very happy with the success of catering so far ,” says Winslow . “ Fun promotions like the recent wedding sweepstakes allow us to introduce Chipotle catering to new audiences who love eating at Chipotle , and those who ’ ve maybe never considered trying out our catering before .”
Customs change , and new traditions are created every day . As the tides turn for weddings , they ’ re turning in the fast casual market ’ s favor .
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