Why Chipotle's Founder Isn't A Burrito Billionaire (And May Never Be) (2024)

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Why Chipotle's Founder Isn't A Burrito Billionaire (And May Never Be) (2024)

FAQs

What happened to the founder of Chipotle? ›

Ells stepped down as Chipotle's CEO in 2017 and gave up his role as chairman of the board in 2020. Chipotle has since rebounded under current CEO Brian Niccol.

Who is the original owner of Chipotle? ›

Chipotle was one of the first chains of fast casual dining establishments. Founded by Steve Ells on July 13, 1993, Chipotle had 16 restaurants (all in Colorado) when McDonald's Corporation became a major investor in 1998.

Why did McDonald's get rid of Chipotle? ›

According to Chipotle's COO Gretchen Selfridge, McDonald's also suggested other things that “we just really didn't do,” like serving breakfast, franchising restaurants, and adding drive-throughs. So, basically, McDonald's no longer owns Chipotle because of irreconcilable differences.

Do the owners of McDonald's own Chipotle? ›

McDonald's does not own Chipotle. McDonald's Corporation became a major investor in 1998, but McDonald's fully divested itself from Chipotle in 2006. Chipotle is a chain of fast casual restaurants in the United States that make Mission burritos, tacos, and bowls in front of the customer.

What was the Chipotle scandal? ›

The main claim was that Chipotle restaurant allowed a sick employee to work for two days violating food safety norms. The lawsuit also says that the total number of victims was 234 and that the infected employee could have come in contact with more than 3000 meals.

How much did Chipotle get sued for? ›

by PATRICK WHITTLE The Associated Press | March 28, 2023 at 2:48 a.m. PORTLAND, Maine -- Chipotle Mexican Grill has agreed to pay $240,000 to former employees as part of a settlement stemming from a complaint that the company violated federal law by closing a restaurant where workers wanted to unionize.

How much is Chipotle's net worth? ›

How much a company is worth is typically represented by its market capitalization, or the current stock price multiplied by the number of shares outstanding. Chipotle Mexican Grill net worth as of June 26, 2023 is $56.38B.

How much does it cost to open a Chipotle franchise? ›

Financial Requirements and Fees
Fees/ExpensesFinancial Amount
Total Investment$800,000 – $1,000,000
Franchise Fee$20,000 to $75,000
Nov 3, 2021

How much does Chipotle CEO make? ›

That's down from the $17.9 million in total compensation earned in 2021. Niccol's base salary of $1.25 million has not changed since 2020, though other executives got a raise last year. CFO Jack Hartung, for example, saw his base salary increase 2% to $865,000 in 2022, compared with $850,000 the year prior.

Why is Chipotle falling? ›

Chipotle stock falls amid Q4 earnings miss, declining sales growth. Shares of Chipotle dipped after the company posted disappointing fourth-quarter earnings results. Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) reported quarterly results that missed expectations on Tuesday, sending shares down more than 5% in after-hours trading.

Why was Chipotle in trouble? ›

Chipotle, which is based in Newport Beach, Calif., was charged with two counts of violating the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by “adulterating food while held for sale after shipment in interstate commerce,” prosecutors said.

Who makes more money mcdonalds or Chipotle? ›

While both chains are succeeding in passing along higher prices, McDonald's is the clear leader in this area. The company has generated $6.8 billion of operating profit over the last nine months. And, while profitability has declined compared to a year ago, its 43% operating margin is more than double Chipotle's 12%.

Is Panera owned by McDonald's? ›

Panera Bread is privately held by JAB Holding Company. Panera Bread is part of Panera Brands, one of the largest fast casual restaurant platforms in the U.S., comprised of Panera Bread®, Caribou Coffee® and Einstein Bros. ® Bagels.

Is Chick Fil A owned by McDonald's? ›

Chick-fil-A, Inc. is a family-owned business, founded by S. Truett Cathy.

Who owns most of McDonald's? ›

McDonald's is a publicly-traded company, with a considerable percentage of its shareholders being institutional. The top 5 institutions with the most significant stake in McDonald's include The Vanguard Group Inc, SSgA Funds Management Inc, BlackRock Fund Advisors, Wellington Management Co.

Is Chipotle in trouble? ›

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. will pay $25 million to resolve criminal charges related to the company's involvement in foodborne illness outbreaks that sickened more than 1,100 people between 2015 and 2018, the Department of Justice announced today.

How many people got E. coli from Chipotle? ›

LOS ANGELES – Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has agreed to pay a $25 million criminal fine and institute a comprehensive food safety program to resolve criminal charges that it adulterated food that sickened more than 1,100 people across the United States from 2015 to 2018.

What are the accusations against Chipotle? ›

According to the EEOC's lawsuit, Chipotle cultivated a toxic work environment when it allowed a male service manager and a male crew member to sexually harass several young female employees at its Sammamish store.

Is Chipotle doing well financially? ›

To the delight of shareholders, Chipotle Mexican Grill has achieved impressive annual EPS growth of 37%, compound, over the last three years.

What item did Chipotle remove? ›

Chipotle just eliminated tacos from its digital menu. Some customers were using a social media "hack" to get burrito-sized portions for just $3. Chipotle says customers can still order tacos at the front line in person.

Why doesn t Chipotle have debt? ›

Growing balance sheet: Chipotle's uncommon capital structure allows them to conduct business with no debt. This allows them to have a large cash line item which we foresee to grow to approximately 44.02% of revenue by 2031, making growth and expansion easier for the company.

What is the highest paying Chipotle? ›

Service Manager

Who eats the most Chipotle? ›

  • Bruce Wayne (yes, that's his real name) has eaten Chipotle for 426 straight days, defeating the previous record by one day.
  • DENVER --(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec.

How much does 1 Chipotle make a year? ›

The average restaurant sales of Chipotle Mexican Grill reached 2.8 million U.S. dollars in 2022, an increase over the previous year.

Can you start your own Chipotle? ›

Unfortunately, Chipotle does not offer franchises. All of its 2,750+ locations are company-owned. However, you can look at alternatives to a Chipotle Franchise below. We also discuss the financials of Mexican-themed franchise alternatives, in case you want to learn more.

Where is the most profitable Chipotle? ›

The report also said the chain is planning to open 100 more stores by the end of the year. Hector Hernandez, manager for the College Park Chipotle, said a Chipotle in New York currently holds the top grossing position, attributing it to the higher price of the New York location's food.

How much does a McDonald's franchise cost? ›

McDonald's franchisee applicants must have a minimum of $500,000 available in liquid assets and pay a $45,000 franchise fee. Those looking to launch a new McDonald's franchise can expect to shell out between $1,314,500 and $2,306,500. Existing franchise operations can cost upwards of $1 million.

Who is the highest paid CEO in? ›

CEO compensation: Highest paid chief executive officers in the United States in 2022. Timothy Donald Cook (Tim Cook), chief executive officer of Apple Inc. Highest-paid CEOs: Being a chief executive (CEO) is no easy feat, especially when leading a corporation.

What is the highest paid CEO job? ›

Elon Musk

Tesla's CEO Elon Musk is the highest paid CEO in the world. His salary was USD 23.5 billion approximately in the year 2022.

How much is McDonald's CEO salary? ›

Kempczinski, who took the helm of the Chicago-based company in late 2019, was paid almost $17.8 million in cash, stock and options awards in 2022, down from the $20 million he made the year prior, according to McDonald's proxy statement, filed last week with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Why did Steve Ells step down? ›

He stepped down from the top role after succumbing to investor pressure on failing to turn around the burrito chain from a string of food safety lapses. The company's stock, which took a big hit when two major illness outbreaks were reported, has recovered to touch a new high under CEO Niccol.

What happened with Chipotle and E coli? ›

On the heels of a 2015 food safety crisis involving an E. Coli and norovirus outbreak, Chipotle struggled to regain consumer trust. After the fast-casual restaurant chain closed 43 locations in Washington and Oregon, federal officials declared the outbreak over in February 2016, but the brand did not recover easily.

Did the CEO of Taco Bell leave for Chipotle? ›

Brian Niccol resigned as CEO of Taco Bell to take the same position with Chipotle. Chipotle wants Niccol to help it make the brand "more relevant." Brian Niccol has resigned as CEO of Taco Bell to take the same position with Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.

What is the salary of Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol? ›

That's down from the $17.9 million in total compensation earned in 2021. Niccol's base salary of $1.25 million has not changed since 2020, though other executives got a raise last year. CFO Jack Hartung, for example, saw his base salary increase 2% to $865,000 in 2022, compared with $850,000 the year prior.

Did the CEO of Chipotle step down? ›

Chipotle Mexican Grill founder Steve Ells has stepped down from the company's board and relinquished his title of executive chairman. The board has appointed CEO Brian Niccol as chairman. Ells served as chief executive of Chipotle until November 2017.

What meat has E. coli at Chipotle? ›

But according to a report published last night by the Wall Street Journal, the burrito chain believes "the E. coli was most likely from contaminated Australian beef," and that the bacteria "spread to other ingredients through improper food handling."

Is Chipotle still safe to eat? ›

If you are worried about food safety at Chipotle, then you probably should just not eat there. However, Chipotle has such a strong fan base that this typically isn't a problem. According to CNBC, the Mexican chain experienced an outbreak of E. coli-related food poisoning in 2016.

What was Chipotle sued for? ›

In the lawsuit, the burrito chain said sweetgreen's use of the "Chipotle" name to market its "very similar and directly competitive" bowl likely confused customers and constituted trademark infringement.

Did Taco Bell apologize? ›

Taco Bell is apologizing for its breakfast menu. In recent years, it has been littered with questionable foods, such as the Naked Egg Taco or even the Waffle Taco, that have since been discontinued. Turns out, people just want the basics and the chain is finally accepting that.

Who is apologizing for Taco Bell? ›

Pete Davidson Apologizes on Behalf of Taco Bell for Going Too Far With Breakfast Innovation.

Why are we boycotting Taco Bell? ›

In 2001, the CIW launched the boycott of Taco Bell, calling on the fast-food giant to take responsibility for human rights violations in their supply chain, to improve wages and working conditions by passing on a penny-per-pound pay increase to the workers, and to buy only from Florida growers who passed this penny per ...

What is the highest paid Chipotle worker? ›

Cultivatingthe Best You
  • Crew, Full Time $41,300.
  • Kitchen Leader $46,300.
  • Service Leader $49,400.
  • Apprentice $71,100.
  • General Manager $87,500.
  • Certified Training Manager $106,600.
  • Restaurateur $112,300.

What is the highest paying job at Chipotle? ›

Hourly pay at Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. ranges from an average of $9.61 to $17.84 an hour. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. employees with the job title Service Manager make the most with an average hourly rate of $15.94, while employees with the title Server make the least with an average hourly rate of $6.93.

What is the highest salary at Chipotle? ›

Highest paying jobs at Chipotle Mexican Grill in California
RankJob titleAverage Chipotle Mexican Grill salary
1Service Manager$75,358
2Restaurant Manager$72,384
3General Manager$67,589
4Restaurant General Manager$61,402
6 more rows
Dec 12, 2022

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