Operations

Chipotle opens 3,000th unit

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February 15, 2022

Chipotle Mexican Grill has opened its 3,000th restaurant, according to a company press release.

Located in Phoenix, Arizona, it features the brand's digital-order drive-thru pick-up lane called Chipotlane. To celebrate the opening, Chipotle's executive leadership team will virtually ring The Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange Tuesday morning.

"This achievement is a testament to our phenomenal teams and their relentless pursuit of bringing 'Food with Integrity' to more communities," Brian Niccol, chairman and CEO, said in a company press release. "We are thrilled to celebrate our 3,000th restaurant opening, and the progress we've made towards our goal of having 7,000 restaurants or more in North America."

Over the next year, Chipotle plans to open between 235 to 250 restaurants. In 2021, it opened 215 new locations in the United States, Canada and Europe, and nearly 80% featured a Chipotlane.

"Our phenomenal teams have demonstrated their abilities to deliver against our aggressive expansion strategies," Chipotle CFO Jack Hartung said in the release. "We are well positioned to drive sustainable long-term growth and I am optimistic that we will achieve our goals while continuing to Cultivate a Better World."

Chipotle continues to seek innovative solutions to enhance experiences for its team members and its guests. In December 2021, the brand opened its first Chipotlane Digital Kitchen prototype with a Chipotlane and walk-up window for efficient digital order pickup. Additionally, the brand has rolled out smarter pick-up times, evolved its Chipotle Rewards loyalty program and expanded its digital flywheel to include numerous digital ordering enhancements.