Why Chipotle Should Open a Restaurant in Honolulu

Why Chipotle Should Open a Restaurant in Honolulu

Honolulu is many things: a world-famous vacation destination, home to some of the best surf around, a beautiful jewel adrift in the Pacific. But there is one thing that Honolulu is not—home to a Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant. Here are three reasons why this injustice cannot stand.

First, there’s no competition! Sure, there are some Mexican restaurants in Hawaii, but none offer the authentic California-style quasi-Mexican gut-bomb that discerning patrons demand. There’s not even a Rubio’s here for God’s sake.

Second, what about all that local seafood? I am aware, of course, that Chipotle doesn’t traditionally offer fish tacos or burritos, but that should not stop them from taking advantage of Hawaii’s abundant natural resources. Think also of the noble mango, long excluded from Mexican food—there’s an opportunity here, if Chipotle’s willing to grasp it.

Finally, let us consider the ethical obligations at stake. Certainly Chipotle has the option not to open a restaurant in Honolulu, but is it a morally defensible option? I maintain that it is not. The Hawaiian people deserve burritos. The Hawaiian people deserve Chiptole.