Chipotle is gearing up for its busiest stretch of the year by launching a hiring campaign to bring in 20,000 new employees.
The hiring push, which runs from March to May—also called “Burrito Season”—is part of the company’s broader strategy to develop future business leaders. To entice prospective employees, Chipotle launched a new series of “Behind the Foil” advertisements showcasing employees who have risen through the company’s ranks.
“‘Burrito Season’ presents candidates with an opportunity to start here, stay here, and reach their career goals with us,” chief human resources officer Ilene Eskenazi said in a statement. “As current team members have demonstrated, our restaurants can be the foundation of a fulfilling career, and we’re committed to bringing in the best candidates who share our values and onboarding them as efficiently as possible.”
Chipotle has made internal promotion central to its growth strategy. Last year, the company promoted 23,000 workers; 85 percent of restaurant management promotions were internal. Five of the company’s 11 regional vice presidents started as hourly employees and now oversee regions generating more than $1 billion in annual sales. At the field leader level, 84 percent are promoted internally and manage an average of eight restaurants with a combined annual revenue of $24 million. According to the fast casual, an employee can rise to the rank of “restaurateur”—one of the brand’s highest leadership positions—in three and a half years and earn six figures.
The chain is using AI to help with the hiring process. In 2024, Chipotle partnered with Paradox to roll out “Ava Cado,” an AI-powered assistant that engages with applicants. The AI chatbot answers candidate questions, collects information, schedules interviews, and sends job offers. Since launching the innovation, the brand has experienced significant hiring efficiencies. Chipotle cut the time from application to first shift from 12 days to four, nearly doubled applicant flow, and increased application completion rates from around 50 percent to over 85 percent.
Beyond career development, Chipotle is also investing in the well-being of its workforce. All employees now have free access to the Calm app, a mindfulness and meditation platform aimed at improving mental health. More than 73 percent of Chipotle’s restaurant-level workers are Gen Z, a generation that spends more resources on mindfulness-related wellness.
For the year, Chipotle’s same-store sales gained 7.4 percent on top of 2023’s 7.9 percent (15.3 percent two-year view). That broke apart as higher transaction of 5.3 percent and a 2.1 percent rise in average check. Digital sales of $3.9 billion represented 35 percent of mix. The brand expects its same-store sales to run in the low- to mid-single-digit range in 2025 with positive traffic.
The fast casual ended 2024 with more than 3,700 restaurants.
