Did you think you were meant to enjoy the beautiful literature on your Chipotle cup by sitting down and reading it? Well, according to new information from CFO Jack Hartung, that may not be the case at Chipotle's new locations.
During a call with investors, Hartung announced plans for "some really, really small scrappy restaurants" with limited seating. Hartung said that roughly two-thirds of Chipotle customers order burritos for takeout, so the chain's current seating areas often go unused.
Hartung also explained the brand's plan for overseas expansion in England and France, saying the smaller restaurants would do well "where the occupancy cost is super, super high." Additionally, Chipotle currently has 1,681 U.S. restaurants and hopes to build as many as 195 more this year.
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"I think that the seating component of what we do has become a little less important as more people know who we are and also we're more comfortable with it now, now that the brand has been more established," Hartung said. "We aren't as concerned about someone coming in and not getting 'the full Chipotle dining experience' or being part of the restaurant atmosphere."
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