Chipotle to Hire 15,000 Workers in Spring Season — Retail Bum

Chipotle is looking to hire 15,000 restaurant workers between March and April, the restaurant chain’s busiest season of the year.

The company’s Chief Restaurant Officer Scott Boatwright noted that hiring will be key to realizing “aggressive growth plans,” which entails doubling the store footprint to 7,000 locations, up from its previous target of 6,000 stores.

To prep for the spring season, the company is ramping up its hiring process and offering a range of benefits such as free meals, access to mental healthcare, tuition reimbursement, debt-free college degrees, and an annual bonus worth an extra month’s pay.

The chain currently employs a total of 100,000 workers, according to CNBC.

Chipotle’s decision to hire more workers comes at a time when businesses in other industries are conducting mass layoffs. However, that is not the case with retailers and restaurant businesses.

While it has become easier to hire and retain workers compared to the early days of the pandemic, restaurants are still concerned about having enough employees even as customers are cutting back on making purchases due to high levels of inflation and fears of recession.

According to CNBC, unemployment rates at eating and drinking establishments was 5.2% in December, lower than the pre-pandemic average of 5.7%, BLS data shows.

Photo credit: Chipotle

Originally published at https://retailbum.com on January 26, 2023.