Chipotle Wants to Hire 19,000 Workers for ‘Burrito Season’

The QSR also announced a new employee assistance program with enhanced benefits.

January 25, 2024

Chipotle Mexican Grill announced plans to recruit 19,000 new employees to make its burritos and bowls this spring.

For Chipotle, having enough workers becomes even more important during its busy period. The chain needs plenty of employees to meet higher demand. The spring weather lures back Chipotle customers who stayed away during the winter months, but the QSR’s concentration in college towns means sales usually slow in the summer, reported CNBC.

Attracting workers has become more difficult for the restaurant industry in recent years, largely due to the pandemic. In September, the restaurant workforce finally bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, according to Department of Labor data.

The company’s hiring target suggests it’s expecting an even busier spring than usual, despite another round of menu price hikes in October. The chain’s recruitment goal is about 27% higher than a year ago, when it sought 15,000 new workers for its so-called burrito season in March through May.

Additionally, the company stated it will be “providing additional financial wellness and mental well-being support” for its more than 110,000 employees through a new employee assistance program along with enhanced benefits.

More than 73% of Chipotle's restaurant employees are Gen Z, and these new benefits cater to the challenges they are facing, the company said. The company noted research that “has been widely cited that those born in the late 90s through the early 2000s are experiencing notable financial challenges, including racking up credit card debt faster than previous generations and being nearly twice as likely as the general population to not feel confident managing their money.”

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