Baird analyst David Tarantino said he would be a buyer of shares of Texas Roadhouse (TXRH) and Chipotle (CMG) amid today's weakness, which he attributes to concerns about the potential for rising protein prices tied to the African swine fever outbreak in China. While a rise in certain protein prices would pose a near-term headwind, he is not ready to conclude that this will be a material issue for either, Tarantino tells investors. In his defense, the analyst highlighted that Texas Roadhouse has locked its pork prices through end of 2019 and that Chipotle uses a naturally raised grade of pork with dedicated suppliers, adding that beef prices are much more important to each of them than pork. Even if food costs were to escalate in the near term, he would view it as transitory and something that should not affect their value on a longer-term basis, added Tarantino.