Chipotle Mexican Grill is a fast casual restaurant chain offering Mexican-themed food. In 1993, founder Steve Ells opened the first restaurant in Denver, Colorado. After raising additional capital and expanding to multiple locations, McDonald’s made an investment in the company and subsequently became the largest shareholder. In 2006, Chipotle went public and used the proceeds from the successful IPO to further its growth. The restaurant chain began to capture international markets in Canada, the United Kingdom, and France. Today, there are over 1,600 company-owned locations world-wide.
The restaurant named after a smoke-dried jalapeño chili pepper serves Mexican food like burritos, burrito bowls, tacos, and salads. The customer can choose between different styles like pork carnitas, barbacoa, chicken, steak, and vegetarian sofritas as well as a variety of toppings. Side items include chips, salsa, and guacamole. The pricing is higher than at other burrito chains but typical for a fast casual restaurant.
