Chipotle CEO on affordable prices, portion size, and desserts

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Chipotle (CMG) CEO Scott Boatwright chopped rather a fig arsenic helium checked successful connected unit astatine a New York City store connected a caller Friday afternoon.

The edifice manager was anxious to spot him and stock however the cognition was doing. What looked to beryllium an concern banker successful a achromatic bro vest randomly came up to Boatwright and said helium recognized him.

It was each successful a time for Boatwright, an avid weightlifter with a linebacker frame, high-wattage smile, and the looks of an OG Abercrombie & Fitch model.

He told maine implicit a container of chips and guac that he’s exploring adding desserts to the paper successful immoderate capacity. Breakfast is inactive a no-go, arsenic it would clutter up operations. Expect a large propulsion into catering. He lights up erstwhile I inquire however overmuch faster the lines are getting astatine highest times. (Much faster.)

And helium has had capable with the cognition that Chipotle has gotten excessively expensive.

“We person an affordable terms constituent for each walks of life, and we’re for everyone. We privation everyone to person entree to wholesome, nutritious food,” Boatwright said connected Power Players (video above; perceive successful below).

He’s besides had it with the presumption that Chipotle has chopped down connected its celebrated information sizes to pad its profits.

“You should inquire for a small more,” helium said. “It has ever been our marque ethos, and it is inactive to this day. We service big, beauteous bowls and burritos. Full stop, nary questions asked. If you privation more, conscionable inquire the squad member. I committedness you there’s ne'er a squad subordinate connected that enactment that's going to accidental no.”

Boatwright was officially named CEO of Chipotle successful precocious 2024 aft serving arsenic COO for 7 years. He archetypal roseate to interim CEO erstwhile his erstwhile boss, Brian Niccol, shocked the edifice satellite by taking the CEO gig astatine Starbucks (SBUX).

During his tenure arsenic COO, Boatwright was a superior designer of Chipotle’s integer transformation, overseeing the rollout of "Chipotlanes" and precocious room exertion to amended work speed.

Before joining Chipotle successful 2017, Boatwright spent 18 years astatine Arby’s Restaurant Group, wherever helium roseate to elder vice president of operations and was credited with revitalizing the brand’s operational culture.

All of Boatwright’s acquisition is being enactment to the trial astatine Chipotle, wherever maturation has slowed from its heyday. Chipotle banal is down 35% implicit the past year.

Chipotle delivered a mixed but better-than-expected archetypal 4th aft a challenging 2025. Total gross grew 7.4% to $3.1 billion, driven chiefly by caller edifice openings and a 0.5% summation successful same-store sales. Higher transaction measurement of 0.6% was partially offset by a flimsy dip successful the mean check.