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A burrito the size of a baby! No? Then show me your tortilla machine.

By May 12, 2008January 10th, 2021One Comment

One of the best places for Mexican food in Seattle is Gorditos, on 85th in Greenwood. Their burritos are ridiculously huge, modestly priced and delicious. When I say huge, I mean a regular is big enough for two—a large would serve a small family.

Here’s a photo and caption from a 2006 restaurant review in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

The $7.50 Gorditos Burrito Grande, billed as the burrito as big as a baby, is almost as big as this 11-week-old. You get a choice of meat in this double-tortilla-wrapped monstrosity.
Photo credit: Joshua Trujillo/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Need I say more?

Before I lived in a “built-green” urban village in the suburbs, I lived three blocks from Gorditos and it was my favorite place to eat. I was there enough, the owner usually knew I’d get a “regular-size half chicken, half steak, fajita style, wet burrito with a glass of horchata” without me having to open my mouth. That’s not to say the conversation wasn’t pleasant—she just remembered my order.

The sheer size of the burritos gets people in. The taste keeps ’em coming back.

Unfortunately, there’s nothing quite like Gorditos anywhere near my work or home, but there is a Mexican restaurant near my office that does a decent business.

Toreros is part of local chain that’s known for great service and authentic food. Their bar does well, their plates are big and the service is friendly, “gracias, amigo!”

Although Toreros can’t match Gorditos’ shock and awe, their tortilla machine gets people talking too.

They fire that baby up and make fresh tortillas right there during regular business hours. You walk in the door and “boom,” that fresh tortilla smell hits you. Kids and grownups gather around the machine and get free hot samples, a la Krispy Kreme.

My kids will watch as long as you let them, and they love the fresh tortillas.

Two questions:

1. Have you experienced a remarkable brand lately?

2. What’s stopping your company from doing something that’s remarkable—that will get people talking?

Can you make the biggest widget? The world’s smallest?

How about the world’s only chartreuse widget?

Is it possible for you take part of what you create and make it part of your customer experience?

I’d love to hear about it.

Comment below to weigh in.

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