Is Chipotle’s new Chiptopia benefits card worth it?
The short answer, no.
The longer answer, yes — if you make Chipotle part of your daily routine.
So last weekend I found myself at a Chipotle (mind you that the closest one to where I live is 30 miles away). Since I don’t live in a Chipotle market, I never received those free coupons they mailed out to locals to win them back after the food-scare scandal.
I do frequent Chipotle, as much as I can, when I’m near one. Discovering the new Chiptopia loyalty program was amazing because this would be the first time I get a reward from the burrito fast-casual restaurant. I picked up a card last week and the lady working told me that I would have to go online to register it and I couldn’t use it for that purchase.
Here’s where Chipotle went wrong on this roll-out:
- I couldn’t use the card for that afternoon’s purchase. I had to order, eat, go home, sign-up, return and then I was allowed to apply my first purchase.
2. After signing up I discovered that you would need to eat 4 entrees before you receive your first free one. (Technically five, because when I ordered the first time I wasn’t able to apply that order.) The next goals to attain something free are 9 and 12 respectively.
If you maintain what’s dubbed their “medium” status for 3 months, you will receive $20 worth of free Chipotle merchandise. Hey, sounds like a plan, pay them to advertise their brand with a hat or t-shirt.
3. This program is not a permanent roll-out. Previous to Chiptopia, Chipotle did not want to use a rewards program as part of its corporate philosophy.
This is a trial program for them, which may become something permanent down the road.
So should you sign up:
Yes, as I always say, any rewards program is better than no rewards program.
Use it as a self-experiment to see if you would actually get value from it. If not, and they do introduce a permanent program, then you’ll know it’s not worth it to hand over all of your personal information for a free burrito after you spend some $50 dollars to attain it.
Chipotle hasn’t had the best year, but they’re trying. If their rewards program is to be successful it will need a lot of tweaks before a permanent roll-out.
Just my thoughts, as a consumer.