What?! Chipotle is bringing a drive-thru location to Florida
Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesFlorida is getting its first Chipotle drive-thru, and it's headed right for Central Florida. Southeast Corners secured a new lease in Kissimmee for the new drive-thru concept dubbed Chipotlanes, according to a press release. The concept was first announced by Chipotle in 2017 with 10 initial locations. To take advantage of the Chipotlanes, customers can place orders via Chipotle's website or app and then drive thru to pick it up. The restaurant will be located at Rolling Oaks Commons at 3202 Rolling Oaks Boulevard and is expected to open in November.
Chipotle CEO says breakfast off the table for now
"We're not going to be doing breakfast anytime soon," CEO Brian Niccol told CNN's Chief Business Correspondent Christine Romans at a private event in Los Angeles. "In order for us to continue to run Chipotle there, part of the deal is we have to serve breakfast," Niccol said. Instead of branching out into breakfast, Chipotle is leaning into what it knows its customers are after: meat burritos for lunch and, increasingly, dinner. Together, the changes have made it easier for groups to order, Niccol explained, which means more dinner orders. By focusing on lunch and dinner, Chipotle avoids the costs associated with breaking into breakfast.
Chipotle adds carne asada to its menu
(CNN) - Chipotle is adding a new protein to its menu for the first time in a year. The restaurant is rolling out carne asada, a marinated steak, for a limited time at its more than 2,000 stores in the United States beginning Tuesday. The carne asada option was tested in three American cities over the past year, and the company said it performed "incredibly well." In addition to new meat menu items, Chipotle has also recently shaken up its menu for vegetarians. Earlier this year, it rolled out new vegan or vegetarian bowls made from existing ingredients.
Chipotle is soaring: Sales rose 10% last quarter
The company said that sales at stores open at least 13 months grew 10% in the second quarter. The second quarter, which ended on June 30, marks the sixth-straight quarter of comparable store growth, the metric used for stores open for at least 13 months. It has also expanded its rewards program nationwide, and sales through digital channels have soared. During the second quarter, digital sales grew 99.1% and made up 18.2% of all purchases. During the quarter, Chipotle also added 19 net new stores.
Chipotle wants to give workers extra month of pay
Joe Raedle/Getty Images(CNN) - Chipotle is cutting through a tight labor market with a new incentive: An extra month's worth of pay. The offer is part of a new bonus program for hourly employees at its restaurants, which Chipotle announced Tuesday. If those quotas are met, Chipotle will pay employees a bonus each quarter equal to one week's pay. Chipotle will average the weekly pay that hourly workers make over the quarter to determine the bonus. The unemployment rate fell to 3.6% in April, the lowest level since December 1969.