According to the Wall Street Journal, London restaurant chain Chilango is selling bonds maturing in four years that yield 8%. Normally, this would be a non-story, but on top of the 8% yield, investors who part with at least £10,000 also get a free burrito (a £5.99 value) each week. Assuming a £10,000 investment, that’s an additional 3% in yield! And it’s in burrito form! Not only are investors getting a generous yield, they are protecting themselves against rampant burrito inflation.
It looks like Chilango’s bond issue is going to be a success. Perhaps this will inspire other companies to look into similar capital raises. Chipotle would be the obvious choice, hopefully followed by a national fitness club. Retirement ramifications could be enormous with the potential for investors to annuitize every meal of the week. Diversification would still be of paramount importance as no one wants to eat burritos seven nights a week.