One social norm that was very prevalent in my area was eating dinner at Chipotle. Growing up with both of my parents born in Italy, I was not exposed to many foods other than spaghetti, chicken parmesan, and other Italian dishes. I would eat spicy foods very rarely and was never a huge fan of them. At the beginning of high school, a new Chipotle was built within a half mile from my house. There was a huge buzz around the neighborhood and whenever I would always drive by, the line would be out the door. My friends and I decided to go one day after to school and now I eat there at least once a week. Social norms can greatly impact food choices because the long line represented that a lot of people enjoyed eating there and it gave me a reason to try it for the first time. Although it is not the healthiest food, it is very convenient and delicious.

Although Chipotle is very good, it has several societal issues. On average, a burrito contains more than 1,000 calories, including a full day’s worth of sodium, and 75% of recommended amount of saturated fat. This ties directly with the obesity issue. The consumption has gone up dramatically in recent years and many people can gain weight from it. It also relates to the sustainability issue because the ingredients that go into a burrito are limited. Chicken, steak, tomatoes, guacamole, etc. all come from animals and plants that have a limited population. If Chipotle and other restaurants continue to use these ingredients, eventually we will run out, which makes this production unsustainable. Given this connection to obesity and sustainability, my view on the social norm is that people must watch what they put into the burrito and not eat there as often. For me, I am active and go to the gym very frequently so the obesity issue is not a concern but the sustainability issue is a concern for all customers.