Chipotle Is Finally Opening Restaurants In This Country

After opening its first restaurant in Denver, Colorado, in 1993, Tex-Mex chain Chipotle has grown to over 3,700 locations worldwide. With establishments in Canada, France, Germany, the U.K., Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, there's one notable nation closer to its home that has never had access to Chipotle's perfectly folded burritos — Mexico. However, in an email sent to Foodie, the company let us know that's about to change.

Chipotle plans to open its first restaurant south of the U.S. border by early 2026. Of the expansion, Nate Lawton, Chief Business Development Officer at Chipotle said, "We are confident that our responsibly sourced, classically-cooked real food will resonate with guests in Mexico." Chipotle intends to expand its footprint around Mexico after opening its first-ever location there with the help of the Alsea Group, which has partnered with the chain to help it flourish in Latin America.

The company indicated late last year that it would be increasing its menu prices as the cost of ingredients continues to rise, but inflated food costs don't seem to have stalled its growth. This year alone, the company intends to open 315 to 345 new restaurants. Its long-term goals include nearly doubling its current number of establishments to 7,000 in Canada and the United States.

The Alsea Group runs quick-service eateries in Europe and Latin America, as well as coffee shops and some full-service restaurants. In Mexico and some parts of Europe, the company hosts over 4,700 food-service establishments. The company works with partners like Chipotle to assist with developing new locations and sustaining them with supply chain assistance, which will be vital for Chipotle as it prides itself on using only 53 simple ingredients across all of its menu items.

This isn't the first time Chipotle has partnered with another company to grow its worldwide presence. In 2023, the Tex-Mex chain partnered with the Alshaya Group to gain a foothold in the Middle East market. So far, it has two restaurants in the United Arab Emirates and three locations in Kuwait. Despite finding itself in some hot water for a spell after folks were walking out of Chipotle mid-order last year in protest of what they believed to be shrinkflation, the company weathered the storm and seems to be moving full steam ahead with expanding its growing quick service restaurant empire.