Mar. 24 at 5:34 PM
$CMG - of the top50 fast casual mexican food chains, only Chipolte and Taco Bell expanded stores in any significant way in 2025.
If you consider the top200 chains, multi-unit mexican food restaurants in tbe US, with a combined 13K locations, Chipolte and Taco Bell control around 75% of the niche.
Chipolte's grip is about 25% and its the fresh mexican, quality ingredients, segment of the niche that is under attack from groups like Baja Fresh, Dos Bros, Moes and many others. Taco Bell and Del Taco have their own niche that is oddly more difficult to penetrate.
Social Media has folks filming Chipolte workers as they prepared their burritos in a an attempt to ensure fair portions. This is well known and continues to this day. Its almost an insurmountable setback.
With rising costs in commodities markets and rising labor costs due to minimum wage increases, Chipolte is facing reduced margins that could have a significant effect on earnings.
