"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.