Chipotle wants to hire 19K new employees as it gears up for 'burrito season'

Chipotle says its busy 'burrito season' occurs from March to May

Chipotle will hire more workers to help with its imminent "burrito season." 

The Mexican fast-food chain aims to take on a total of 19,000 new staff members before its restaurants experience their typical busy season that spans March to May, it said Wednesday.

Chipotle’s announcement of hiring efforts coincided with the company unveiling a slew of new employee benefits. 

Chipotle restaurant

Chipotle is looking to hire 19,000 staff workers to cover the "burrito season." (Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Eligible employees will now have access to a financial well-being education platform and up to 4% salary-based matching contributions to their 401(k) "if they make eligible student loan payments," both facilitated by SoFi services, according to the fast-food chain. Other new benefits include a Visa card with Cred.ai credit-building features and additional mental health resources.

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Chipotle said it sought to help with issues that its Generation Z employees have faced with the benefits. 

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"Empowering our talent is embedded in our company’s culture," Chief Human Resources Office Ilene Eskenazi said in a statement. "As we push toward our long-term goal of operating 7,000 restaurants in North America, it’s crucial that we listen to and adapt to the needs of our team members, so they can grow with us."

Chipotle employees

Chipotle's "burrito season" runs from March through May. (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly / Reuters)

Chipotle said the upcoming "burrito season" hiring will occur over the next couple of months.

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Its target has grown by 4,000 compared to the 15,000 it said last year it would recruit for 2023’s "burrito season."

Chipotle restaurant

Chipotle currently employees more than 110,000 people worldwide. (Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The company employs over 110,000 people worldwide.

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In late October, CEO Brian Niccol reported staffing and turnover at the company’s restaurants "are back to or better than pre-pandemic levels."

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Chipotle said it has generated nearly $7.4 billion in total revenues over the first three quarters of 2023, including $2.47 billion in its most-recently reported third-quarter. Its net income in the same nine-month period was $946.65 million.