Chipotle Mexican Grill has opened its 4000th restaurant – a global milestone – in Manhattan, Kansas, also known as the ‘Little Apple’.
Chipotle reached over 2300 restaurants when current CEO Scott Boatwright joined the company as chief restaurant officer in 2017, and has since increased its store count by more than 70 per cent.
“Achieving 4000 restaurants underscores the strength of our strategic initiatives and commitment to cultivate a better world,” Boatwright said.
“Most importantly, our continued growth has allowed us to bring real food made with responsibly sourced ingredients to more communities throughout the world and create new career opportunities for our team members,” he added.
The new destination includes the brand’s drive-thru pickup Chipotlane. It also features the chain’s latest rollout of a high-efficiency equipment package designed to simplify employees’ cooking processes, thereby boosting catering and overall prep efficiency, especially during peak hours.
Chipotle’s leadership team commemorated the achievement by ringing the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange last Friday.
Chipotle’s global expansion
The company currently owns more than 100 stores outside its home country, including 75 in Canada, 28 in Europe and 11 partner-operated locations in the Middle East. With this milestone crossed, Chipotle’s long-term goal of operating 7000 restaurants in the US and Canada is past halfway.
Last month, the chain announced the opening of its first Chipotlane outside North America at Bneid Al Gar in Kuwait, while earlier revealing plans to enter Asia by next year, with South Korea and Singapore as first stops.
