Chipotle gives out cash bonuses at 135 restaurants

More than 2,600 employees qualified to earn up to an extra week of pay as a result of  ‘crew bonus program’
Chipotle Mexican Grill closed one of its Ohio stores after about 170 reported illnesses. Daniel Acker./ Bloomberg

Chipotle Mexican Grill closed one of its Ohio stores after about 170 reported illnesses. Daniel Acker./ Bloomberg
What to Know
By Mark Fisher
Aug 15, 2019
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As part of a broader effort to attract and keep its employees in an extremely tight labor market, Chipotle Mexican Grill announced this week that it will award an extra week of pay to more than 2,600 employees in 135 restaurants across the country.

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The cash bonuses are part of a crew bonus program announced in June. If restaurant teams meet certain criteria such as predetermined sales and cash-flow goals every quarter, they'll have the opportunity to earn up to an extra month's pay each year, Chipotle officials said in a release.

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Chipotle officials did not release a breakdown of which restaurants hit their goals and earned bonuses for employees. Chipotle operates 18 restaurants across the Miami Valley, and is poised to add another location on Sept. 25 in Hamilton.

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Construction is continuing on the future Chipotle restaurant along Main Street in Hamilton. MIKE RUTLEDGE/STAFF

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The trade publication Nation's Restaurant News reported that the total payout to employees reached $700,000.

Over the past year, Chipotle officials said, the cast-casual restaurant chain has seen a decrease in turnover at the manager and crew level. And And retaining more crew members means that diners are receiving a more positive and consistent experience in Chipotle restaurants, company officials said.

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"We are strategically investing in our people by giving all employees the opportunity to earn a performance bonus, and it's paying off," Marissa Andrada, Chipotle’s chief people officer, said in a release. "It's exciting to see how many locations qualified and the high level of engagement from our restaurant teams."

All hourly restaurant employees who have been employed for the full quarter are eligible to participate in the new quarterly bonus program, company officials said. The quarterly bonus program is in addition to the existing annual crew bonus that is available for employees based on tenure and a minimum of one year of service.

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Chipotle says it is the only restaurant company of its size that owns and operates all of its restaurants. It employs more than 80,000 people at more than 2,500 restaurants in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France and Germany.

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About the Author

Mark Fisher, a 1981 graduate of Ohio State University and a 1976 graduate of Beavercreek High School, is a third-generation Dayton-area resident who has worked for the Dayton Daily News since 1983. He covered higher education and K-12 education accountability issues for nearly 20 years before taking over the food and dining beat in 2006.