Overview
- Chipotle reported first‑quarter revenue of about $3.1 billion with comparable‑restaurant sales up 0.5% and transactions rising 0.6%.
- Restaurant‑level operating margin fell to 23.7% from 26.2% because of higher beef and freight costs as well as increased wages and marketing.
- Management kept the full‑year same‑store‑sales forecast flat and expects about 1% growth in the second quarter tied to a honey chicken launch.
- Digital orders accounted for 38.6% of food and beverage sales, and limited‑time Chicken al Pastor plus a new Cilantro‑Lime Sauce helped lift visits with an April bump aided by the Easter shift.
- The company opened 49 restaurants in the quarter, including 42 with Chipotlanes, and plans 350 to 370 new locations in 2026, with Chipotlanes serving as drive‑thru pickup lanes for digital orders.