On: Chipotle: The Definitive Oral History

[enraged_camel]

>>People want more choices now. It's why McDonald's is struggling to keep up. Their systems, multiple generations more advanced than before, can handle it but only to a certain degree.

This narrative doesn't explain why In 'n Out is very popular. They have five items on their menu. http://www.in-n-out.com/menu.aspx

(They also have a secondary menu, yes, but that's more for stylings and extras.)

[joezydeco → enraged_camel]

Then let's call it more customization options.

I would describe it as McDonald's offering a very wide and shallow menu, while Chipotle/Five Guys/In-n-Out offer a very narrow but deep menu.

McDonald's is experimenting with touchscreen kiosks to let you decide from a list of burger topping options.