This year, Chipotle Mexican Grill is set to approach $10 billion in revenue, which is a drastic increase compared to the less than $5 billion the company earned back in 2018 when Brian Niccol took the reins as CEO. In a recent interview with ’s, Niccol expresses his confidence that the business can double again in both restaurant count and revenue, with three key components to success: loyalty, throughput, and menu innovations.
The pandemic led to an enormous boost in Chipotle’s digital orders and points-based rewards system, which resulted in increased profit margins. However, now that customers are dining in again, managing digital order surges while keeping counter service fast and efficient has posed challenges. To combat this issue, Niccol implemented separate digital prep lines and introduced pickup time slots, which streamlined the flow of orders.
To keep the menu interesting and innovative, Niccol – a former Taco Bell executive – looks to a diverse range of sources for inspiration. A new chicken al pastor option from the test kitchen is a notable standout, along with the addition of fajita veggies and honey vinaigrette to quesadilla orders due to popular demand from two TikTok influencers.
Chipotle is currently closing in on its target of $3 million in yearly sales per restaurant and looks set to surpass it with Niccol’s strategic leadership. He sets his sights on breaking new records for the company, stating “We’re now starting to set our sights on $3.5 million, $4 million.”
