US fast-casual chain Chipotle Mexican Grill has expanded its national footprint with the launch of its 4,000th restaurant in Manhattan, Kansas.
The site includes Chipotlane, the group’s drive-through pick-up lane designed for customers collecting digital orders without leaving their cars.
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During 2025, the brand has targetted between 315 and 345 restaurant launches, of which at least 80% include the Chipotlane.
Management is forecasting a further 350 to 370 openings in 2026, including 10 to 15 international partner-operated sites.
Chipotle chief development officer Stephen Piacentini stated: “Our 4,000th restaurant in Manhattan, Kansas is both a milestone for our growth and a celebration of the guests who have asked us to bring Chipotle to their communities.
“This location showcases more convenient access points, sustainable design features and equipment upgrades that elevate the experience for our team members and our guests.”
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By GlobalDataThe new Manhattan restaurant has been fitted with Chipotle’s new high-efficiency equipment package: a three-pan rice cooker to handle larger volumes while keeping batches consistent, a dual-sided plancha to cut cooking times for steak, chicken and fajita vegetables, a high-capacity fryer to speed up production of fresh chips and a produce slicer to automate prep.
Since current CEO Scott Boatwright joined the business in 2017 as chief restaurant officer, the chain has grown from more than 2,300 restaurants to 4,000 locations – a surge of 70% in eight years.
Boatwright stated: “Achieving 4,000 restaurants underscores the strength of our strategic initiatives and commitment to cultivate a better world.
“Most importantly, our continued growth has allowed us to bring real food made with responsibly sourced ingredients to more communities throughout the world and create new career opportunities for our team members.”
The chain has more than 100 restaurants outside the US: 75 in Canada, 28 in Europe, and 11 partner-operated outlets in the Middle East.
In November 2025, the first Chipotlane outside North America opened at Bneid Al Gar in Kuwait, operated in collaboration with Alshaya Group.
The company also entered a development agreement with Latin America and Europe-based restaurant operator Alsea to enter Mexico in 2026.
Separately, through a joint venture with South Korea-based SPC Group, Chipotle’s first restaurants in South Korea and Singapore are also set to open in 2026.
