Chipotle Mexican Grill announced on Tuesday the opening of its 3,000th restaurant, in Phoenix, Arizona, featuring the brand’s digital order drive thru pick-up lane called Chipotlane. To celebrate the monumental opening, Chipotle’s executive leadership team will virtually ring The Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange at 9:30 a.m.
“This achievement is a testament to our phenomenal teams and their relentless pursuit of bringing Food with Integrity to more communities. 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,” said Brian Niccol, chairman and CEO, Chipotle in a statement.
Over the next year, Chipotle plans to open between 235 to 250 new restaurants. In 2021, Chipotle opened 215 new locations in the United States, Canada and Europe, and approximately 80 percent of the new restaurants featured a Chipotlane. This format has proven to enhance guest access and convenience, as well as increase new restaurant sales, margins, and returns. With a long-term goal of more than doubling its restaurant count in North America, the company has a three-pronged approach to expanding its Chipotlane footprint including new restaurant openings, strategic relocations and existing building conversions. Chipotle is also targeting growth through small-town opportunities that deliver results at or better than traditional locations.
“Our phenomenal teams have demonstrated their abilities to deliver against our aggressive expansion strategies,” adds Jack Hartung, Chief Financial Officer, Chipotle. “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.”
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.
Chipotle’s 3000th restaurant is located at 3185 E. Bell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85032 and is open daily from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m.
