CHIPOTLE EXPANDS RESTAURANT LEADERSHIP PIPELINE, AIMS TO PLACE AN APPRENTICE IN EVERY RESTAURANT BY THE END OF 2027

Chipotle is expanding its restaurant leadership pipeline with a goal of placing an Apprentice in every restaurant by the end of 2027. Today, Apprentices currently support approximately three-quarters of Chipotle restaurants, helping develop future leaders from within while strengthening restaurant operations. As the company works toward its long-term goal of operating 7,000 restaurants across the U.S. and Canada, it expects to open between 350 and 370 new restaurants in 2026. To enable its expansion, the company aims to place an Apprentice in each of its more than 4,200 company-owned restaurants by the end of 2027, strengthening the management infrastructure needed to support its growing footprint. Today, Apprentices support approximately three-quarters of Chipotle's restaurants. Extending the model across its entire restaurant portfolio will create additional opportunities for Crew Members to advance while building deeper management benches across the organization. More than 85% of Chipotle's restaurant managers began their careers as Crew Members, underscoring the company's commitment to promoting from within. The Apprentice role serves as a critical bridge to becoming a General Manager, preparing high-performing employees to oversee restaurant operations, develop teams and uphold Chipotle's operational standards. Chipotle's career pathway provides employees with a clear roadmap to advance from Crew Member to General Manager—and ultimately into field and regional roles.

Every Crew Member we hire has the potential to become a future restaurant leader. Developing leaders from within allows us to create meaningful careers for our people while ensuring every restaurant is led by someone who understands our culture and our commitment to exceptional guest experiences. In addition to building Chipotle's pipeline of future General Managers, Apprentices provide additional leadership and staffing coverage during peak periods and weekends, helping teams focus on operational execution. The role also helps build a stronger team culture while delivering more consistent guest experiences across in-restaurant and digital occasions. By taking ownership of key areas, including training and the digital makeline, Apprentices allow General Managers to distribute responsibilities more effectively, improve digital execution and consistently deliver Chipotle's standards for hospitality. Restaurants with Apprentices also generally achieve better operational scores, which can contribute to improved restaurant economics over the long term.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Cultivate Education, powered by Guild , a leading education and upskilling company. Over the past decade, the program has become a cornerstone of Chipotle's leadership strategy, helping employees gain the education, skills and confidence to advance their careers. Key Cultivate Education milestones over the past decade include: Nearly 25,000 Chipotle employees have enrolled in an education program More than 14,000 employees have completed an education program 57% of graduates earned a college degree, while 43% earned a certificate Eligible Chipotle employees can pursue fully online bachelor's and associate degrees, certificates, boot camps, language learning, high school completion and college.