My Experience at Chipotle
November 8, 2010
To whom it may concern,
For 5 months I have worked at Chipotle. Upon starting I was encouraged to learn everything about what each job entails. I was told to feel empowered. I was encouraged to push our store towards Restaurateur status. I was told I would be given opportunity to put my newly learned skills to the test.
These opportunities came in the form of our front of house duties. I worked the line making burritos. I keep a journal from time to time and I can cite a specific entry made shortly after my first day in which I expressed a feeling of discontentment with the way I was made to feel stupid and slow because I wasn't yet as fast as the others. I was elbowed out of the way of the much more experienced workers, sighed toward, condescended to and generally made to feel incompetent. I understand how some people can have a natural affinity for working in this fray. I needed a bit more time because I was worried about the guest experience once they reached the counter more than pushing them through as quickly as possible. I understand a desire for both.
After a few weeks of being tossed back and forth on the line I was moved to the cash register. I felt more comfortable there because I could actually have a very brief conversation with the guest when there were no limbs flying toward me. I thought that I was doing a fine job even though my formal training at the register was approximately 3 minutes of someone pointing to buttons over my shoulder. Many of my brief conversations with guests included them expressing concerns of feeling rushed while they were trying to decide. I recall one instance where an older woman said she would not come back because of this. I took a moment to apologize to her and to ask for her continued business. She agreed but I did not see her again. I understand Chipotle is not hurting for business but if one customer expresses this I can assure you that there are more who do not. The feeling of condescension I felt not making burritos fast enough transferred absolutely to the customer being rushed and feeling stupid for their indecisiveness. When I relayed these concerns to my managers I was completely ignored.
My training for closing shifts was nonexistent. I fumbled through closing shifts not having a clue what was wrong until the next day when I would be told how bad my previous night's close had been. Each day I would incorporate something new which I had overlooked from the night before. It became normal shop talk to have snide comments from the management thrown about openly of how bad I was at my job as if it were something which was now expected.
I approached my general manager using our open door policy to ask how I could improve fearing my job was in jeopardy. I was told I possess the characteristics which were needed. My love for the company and food with integrity was cited. I was told I had enthusiasm for customer service and for spreading the message. I was told how everyone liked me and it would be a difficult decision if they were to let me go. I was told that my job was in jeopardy if I didn't pick up the pace. I was told I would be given a two week notice if the decision were made to terminate my employment. I felt this was an honest assessment. I understood what was expected of me.
Before I started I was already a fan of Chipotle and had visited the web site to see what made the food so great. I learned about "Food with Integrity" before I ever thought about applying for a job with the company. I read about Steve Ells' story and was inspired by the company philosophy. My enthusiasm for this was one of the reasons I was such a good candidate for the job. When I started I read my development journal and watched all the videos which were available to me. I feel like I am very knowledgeable about recipes, cut sizes, cooking times, temperatures and preparation. I asked repeatedly to be put in the kitchen to apply what I had learned. This request was denied with a disclaimer that they would schedule me a shift to help in the kitchen soon. I attempted on numerous occasions to help prepare food but was chased away like an incessant child. I was never scheduled a shift to help in the kitchen. I no longer felt empowered. I felt as if I were being purposefully set out on a course for failure.
My answer to this was to bear down and get faster at the positions they allowed me to do. In my remaining shifts I was complimented on numerous occasions about how much improvement I had made. I began to feel confident that I was finally getting it. I felt I was keeping up with my fellow employees. I began to feel like a member of the team. I was given a review which I was to fill out and hand in to the management. I scored myself fairly and I feel I was very aware of the improvements I had made and of the improvement which I still needed. Overall on paper I seemed to be pretty switched on. My closes improved and I would finish on time with the rest of the crew. No further communication to me was extended from the management other than to tell me I was doing much better. My stress level decreased and I was happy coming to work. No one from management ever sat down with me to look at my review.
On November 5, 2010 I received a phone call from my general manager saying he needed to talk with me. I arrived to a handshake and an uneasy feeling. I was told that he would be leaving and there would be a new general manager taking his place. I was told that my employment would be terminated as of today (11/05/2010). The reason given to me was that I was "not good enough" and that he didn't want to leave substandard employees to the next general manager. When I asked about his word of a two week notice I was told "unfortunately not". Apparently "Food with Integrity" doesn't extent to management with integrity. He told me that I had done a great job in my last few shifts but the decision had already been made. I don't feel that the management has been honest with me. I have never been terminated from a job for never being absent, making noted improvement and being liked by everyone. I am tremendously disheartened by this experience.
My goal with this letter is to tell the story from my perspective and to hopefully get an honest answer as to why my termination was so abrupt and necessary.