Why do big businesses constantly have to grow bigger and bigger?

[enyawd72]

I was reading an article about Chipotle this morning...how business is great and they keep opening more and more, but the worry is they won't be able to keep expanding.

My question is...if business is great, why do they NEED to keep expanding? Is it just plain greed?
I mean...if you have 1500 locations and business is booming, isn't that enough?

In the small town I used to live in, there were THREE Subway restaurants within less than five minutes of each other, all owned by the same guy. In my mind that's two too many. None of them were ever that busy, because they were all basically competing with each other. In the meantime, the owner has three times the overhead.

That's why I guess I just don't get over-expansion. If you're profitable, be content with what you've got.

[thunderbolt]

Chipotle is owned by McDonald's so they have that mentality built in. I currently have 3 Mcd's within 5 miles of me. One is walking distance.

[Duncan]

This is one of the downsides of going public. Investors want the share price & dividend to rise pretty much forever. The main way to do that is to grow, which often means opening new locations. However, it does sometimes wind up in a train wreck (see: Quiznos, Krispy Kreme). They say that McD's is losing popularity in the US. It'll be interesting to see where that leads.

[Confessional]

There is a popular misconception that Chipotle restaurants are owned by McDonalds. While they were once an investor in our company, they divested in 2006 and our company went public on the New York Stock Exchange that year.

Source: Chipotle

[Mikey]

I would give my opinion but have already been beaten to the punch with Museum no-no replies

Can't fault me for at least trying

[starsky]

not only do they want to grow and grow, but they push their employees harder and harder but the only thing that doesn't seem to grow is the paycheck for the grunt worker.

[Mikey]

not only do they want to grow and grow, but they push their employees harder and harder but the only thing that doesn't seem to grow is the paycheck for the grunt worker.

Once I think i'm out --- They drag me back in

All i'll say is today's big businesses are literally owned by the Ferengi

[thunderbolt]

There is a popular misconception that Chipotle restaurants are owned by McDonalds. While they were once an investor in our company, they divested in 2006 and our company went public on the New York Stock Exchange that year.

Source: Chipotle

I got swamp land in FLA to sell, too.

[Bionicfanboy66]

Starbucks comes to mind. Not a fan of Howard Shultz and their coffee is overrated. I only go there if my regular coffee shop is closed.

[Blue Meanie]

not only do they want to grow and grow, but they push their employees harder and harder but the only thing that doesn't seem to grow is the paycheck for the grunt worker.

Amen brother. If this post had a "Like" button I would have hit it. Couldn't have said it any better.

BTW, the quote should have been "Corporations don't create jobs" and NOT "Business' don't create jobs" There is a big difference between those two quotes.

[Mikey]

"jobs" are created by people that have been there and know the deal.

Slave labor is created by people that have sold their soul and taught individual people are nothing.

Just pump out product.

[Megotu]

Unceasing growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.

Plus the whole it's a marathon not a sprint mentality...Since there is no finish line, isn't it more of a death march?

[johnmiic]

[QUOTE=Megotu;1174571Plus the whole it's a marathon not a sprint mentality...Since there is no finish line, isn't it more of a death march?[/QUOTE]

^^^That reminded me of something the owner of an art store said when I worked for him in the `90's. The guy was a big jerk. He promised us bonuses if we could get sales higher each month. We did it 1 month and asked for our bonuses and he claimed he never said that. We never did anything extra for him again.

[madmarva]

Chipotle is owned by McDonald's so they have that mentality built in. I currently have 3 Mcd's within 5 miles of me. One is walking distance.

Walking to McDonald's is unAmerican