history

Chipotle was founded in 1993 by classically trained chef Steve Ells in Denver, Colorado.

Ells opened the first location using an $85,000 loan from his father.

He initially planned the burrito shop to fund a fine-dining restaurant.

The concept was inspired by large, customizable burritos from San Francisco's Mission District.

Sales exploded quickly, averaging over 1,000 burritos a day within the first month.

McDonald's became a majority investor in 2001, funding aggressive nationwide expansion.

By 2006, McDonald's divested its stake, and Chipotle launched a highly successful IPO.

The brand gained immense popularity by pioneering the "Food with Integrity" sustainable sourcing philosophy.

Despite a major food safety crisis in 2015, Chipotle successfully overhauled its operations.

Today, the company operates over 3,700 locations and relies heavily on digital ordering.