In what is likely the best kind of bad publicity a restaurant can get, In-N-Out Burger’s new Colorado locations sparked pandemonium. Customers waited for more than 12 hours. Cops rerouted traffic. And the Daily Mail, more or less the National Enquirerof the U.K., reported on a man losing his pants in a line-jumping fracas, which it headlined “Buns Out!”
Click here to read the story at mediapost.com.
Discussion Questions:
- What is publicity?
- Some would say there is no such thing as bad publicity. Would you agree? Why or why not?
- According to this story, In-N-Out’s new Colorado restaurant openings generated bad publicty for the company. Do you agree with that assessment? Why or why not?
- Why do you think people were willing to wait in line so long for an In-N-Out burger?
- How much of the excitement about the new openings could be the result of effective marketing? Be prepared to discuss your answers in class.