Chipotle Adds Celebrity-Written Essays to Cups and Bags

Have you ever thought your burrito experience at Chipotle was severely lacking in literary merit? Well, today is your day, because the burrito chain has just released a series of soda cups and take-out bags printed with "two-minute readings" from authors like Toni Morrison, George Saunders, and Malcolm Gladwell and celebrities like Bill Hader, Sarah Silverman, and Judd Apatow. A press release explains that the packaging stunt is called "Cultivating Thought" and it is the result of a partnership with author Jonathan Safran Foer, who is serving as the series "curator."

A Chipotle rep tells Eater via email that the aim of the Cultivating Thought initiative is to "allow people to connect with the musings of these writers, with whom they may or may not be familiar, and create a moment of analog pause in a digital world, providing introspection or inspiration, and maybe a little laughter." With this lofty goal in mind, Chipotle is rolling out the cups and bags nationwide, though they will not necessarily hit all stores today. ("It will arrive at different times depending on when each restaurant needs to order new cups and bags," says the rep.)

This isn't Chipotle's first crack at using thought-provoking "entertainment" as a way to sell burritos. Last year the chain released a bleak and manipulative anti-industrial farming video called "The Scarecrow" and more recently released their own Hulu series called "Farmed and Dangerous" which also takes aim at industrial farming.

Below, more pictures (and gifs!) of the essay-emblazoned paper goods.

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· Chipotle Launches 'Cultivating Thought' Author Series on Cups and Bags [BusinessWire via VF]
· All Chipotle Coverage on Eater [-E-]