Chipotle Gunning for 7000 Stores

Following a fiscal 2021 in which Chipotle (Newport Beach, CA) opened 215 new restaurants and digital sales jumped by 24.7 percent, the fast-casual Mexican chain raised its target for unit growth from 6000 locations in North America to 7000, Nation’s Restaurant News reports.

Chipotle currently stands at 2,950 restaurants. In 2022, it aims to open between 235 and 250 new locations. CEO Brian Niccol, according to the article, says the company is building a real estate pipeline to fuel growth of 8 percent to 10 percent per year.

Niccol said small-town locations have proven to be equally or more successful than traditional restaurants. In December, the chain introduced an all-digital format with a drive-thru called the Chipotlane Digital Kitchen. The goal is to equip 80 percent of the footprint with a Chipotlane drive-thru, the article says.

Read more at Nation’s Restaurant News.