Chipotle Plans Hiring Spree, Will Double U.S. Store Count

Chipotle Mexican Grill is planning to hire 15,000 new employees and double its store count across the U.S. in the next few years.

"Our restaurant teams are the core of this organization and with a goal of more than doubling our footprint to 7,000 locations in North America, we are targeting employees today to serve as our leaders of tomorrow," Chipotle Chief Restaurant Officer Scott Boatwright said in a press release.

"We will continue bringing in new crew to support Chipotle's aggressive growth plans, while simultaneously promoting and upskilling those currently in role."   

The company reported in its Q3 earnings that its leases, which are primarily office and restaurant spaces, typically have remaining terms of one to 20 years, with most including options to extend for additional five-year periods.  

The plans for expansion come as retail availability in the U.S. is at an all-time low, dropping to 5% in Q3, according to a CBRE report. A lull in new development, attributed to labor difficulties and the high cost of materials, has led to supply constriction. 

Although Chipotle is making big plans to expand its footprint nationwide, the company, along with brands such as McDonald’s, Starbucks and In-N-Out Burger, is spending big in California to overturn the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act, or FAST Act, which was set to go into effect at the start of the year until its future was thrown into uncertainty. 

The law, which authorized the creation of a 10-member Fast Food Council made up of labor, employer and government representatives, aims to improve the conditions and pay for fast-food workers in the Golden State. The council could increase the industry minimum wage for fast-food workers to as high as $22 an hour, up from the state’s $15.50 minimum wage, according to CNN.

The legislation was signed into law at the end of last year, but a petition to force the law to qualify for a vote during California’s 2024 election gathered enough signatures, putting the law on hold. 

Chipotle, among other brands, has donated $1M to a coalition dubbed Save Local Restaurants, which is focused on overturning the legislation, according to CNN.