Chipotle news and trends

Data-Driven Dining: How McDonald’s, Chipotle and Chili’s Are Tapping Data to Fill Consumer Needs

November 04, 2024
New Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol Brings Innovative Track Record to QSR Environment
Personnel // August 13, 2024

Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol will take over as CEO of Starbucks Sept. 9, and he has the support of Starbucks founder and Chairman Emeritus Howard Schultz. “I know how excited [Schultz] is,” Starbucks board chair Mellody Hobson said during an interview with CNBC. “When I...

Starbucks Appoints Chipotle Head Brian Niccol as CEO
Personnel // August 13, 2024

Starbucks said Tuesday (Aug. 13) that it has appointed Chipotle Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol as CEO, effective Sept. 9, succeeding Laxman Narasimhan, who stepped down as CEO and director Tuesday. Niccol will leave Chipotle effective Aug. 31, at which time Chipotle Chief Operating Officer...

Chipotle VP: Guacamole-Inspired Makeup Boosts Brand’s Superfans’ Engagement
Retail // August 03, 2024

As brands tap partnerships to reach consumers in more parts of their day-to-day lives, Chipotle Mexican Grill is once again getting into the makeup game. On Tuesday (July 30), the fast-casual restaurant giant dropped its “burrito-proof lip stain” in partnership with Wonderskin, a brand that...

Chipotle’s Loyalty Gamification Drives Record-Breaking Digital Sales
Earnings // July 24, 2024

As restaurants look to boost digital engagement, Chipotle is seeing that its efforts to make online participation more exciting are paying off. The fast-casual restaurant chain, which has more than 3,500 locations across six countries, shared on a call discussing its second quarter financial results,...

Interviews & Exclusives
Restaurants Go All-In on Smart Digital, but Consumers Remain Wary

November 24, 2023
Restaurants are increasingly adopting automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and robots across all areas of operation, but these efforts are not always a surefire hit. A Chick-fil-A in Valrico, Florida, for instance, became one of the most recent restaurants to try drone delivery last week, kicking off automated delivery with DroneUp, per the restaurant’s Instagram post. […]

Quick Service Restaurants Double-Down on Technology to Gain Customers

November 01, 2023
The food service sector is transforming rapidly, and surviving in such a changing environment requires agile retail strategies.  In the last two years, due to high inflation, restaurants have been...

Restaurants Push Rewards as Digital Growth Stalls

May 26, 2023
After a surge in digital engagement with restaurants in the early stages of the pandemic, consumers around the world, it seems, have been pulling back, prompting restaurants to step up...

Restaurant Industry Dining out on College Students’ Changing Habits

September 05, 2022
As students return to college campuses this fall, food service businesses are finding that their dining habits are finally beginning to look more like they did before the start of...

Quick Reads
Starbucks Appoints Chipotle Head Brian Niccol as CEO

August 13, 2024
Starbucks said Tuesday (Aug. 13) that it has appointed Chipotle Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol as CEO, effective Sept. 9, succeeding Laxman Narasimhan, who stepped down as CEO and director Tuesday. Niccol will leave Chipotle effective Aug. 31, at which time Chipotle Chief Operating Officer Scott Boatwright will become the restaurant company’s interim CEO, according […]

Restaurants Push Promotions as Diners Lose Appetite for High Prices

June 23, 2024
Consumers are spending less at restaurants as menu prices remain high.  And as Seeking Alpha reported Saturday (June 22), it’s a situation that’s left some eateries embracing creative promotions to...

Chipotle Says Value Keeps Customers Coming Back Despite Rising Prices

April 24, 2024
Higher prices at Chipotle haven’t kept customers from visiting and spending at the fast-casual restaurant. They’re doing so because of value, executives said during the company’s quarterly earnings call. Chipotle saw its...

Chipotle and McDonald’s to Raise Prices in California After Minimum Wage Hike

October 30, 2023
Chipotle Mexican Grill and McDonald’s plan to increase menu prices in California next year. The decision is a response to the state’s forthcoming minimum wage hike for fast-food workers, which will see employees...