Last weekend I went to Baja Fresh for the first time in a while. Now, I remember Baja Fresh as being that quick, but quality Mexican food place where the food was plentiful, delicious, and pretty reasonably priced. I can recall barely being able to finish one of their burritos, let alone the side of chips and tasty fresh salsa, and it would cost me just over 6 bucks. But that was then.
Ever since Wendy's purchased Baja Fresh in 2002, things have gotten more corporate, streamlined, and the customer experience has suffered immensely. Now, I understand that we are living in a period where there has been significant inflation in consumables over the past 15 years, but the fact that I paid $13 for a smaller burrito with no chips, a side of chips and guac, and 2 small drinks was a bit unnerving. Have their costs doubled? The more logical explanation is that they are using a price increase to fund expansion while preserving investor return. Makes sense financially, but then the whole point of a restaurant is to provide a product that the customer actually wants, right?
For as corporate as McDonalds might be, their product has remained consistent over decades, and that brand image that comes with the consistent product has remained the same over that time as well. What Wendy's has done by changing the quality and offerings at Baja Fresh has completely changed the brand image that Baja Fresh has.
Thus, since the Baja Fresh that disappointed me last weekend is completely a different place than the Baja Fresh I once knew, I've made peace with the fact that the original Baja Fresh is dead and gone, and feel no need to have to go back to the Baja that exists today.
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