Chipotle is raising prices after promising bigger portions

Chipotle is raising its U.S. prices to offset worth rise and to compensate for a commitment to boost portion sizes.

Chipotle’s chief corporate affairs officer, Laurie Schalow, confirmed Friday that the Mexican restaurant chain was implementing a 2% worth boost nationally. Schalow said it’s the first period the California-based business has raised its prices in more than a year.

Chipotle revealed the worth boost after an analyst update released earlier this week by enterprise distribution financial institution Truist financial instruments noted a 2% worth boost at approximately 20% of the chain’s 3,500 U.S. stores.

Truist, which raised its worth target for Chipotle’s shares, also reported that customer traffic at the chain’s restaurants accelerated in November.

Chipotle said in October that its food, beverage and packaging costs all increased in the third quarter. It cited avocados as an example.

Avocado shipments from Mexico to the U.S. were briefly suspended in June after two U.S. Department of Agriculture employees were assaulted and temporarily held by assailants in the Mexican state of Michoacan.

Chipotle also cited the expense of ensuring it was providing “consistent and charitable portions” to its customers. Former Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol said in July that Chipotle was retraining workers at approximately 10% of Chipotle’s stores after customers complained on social media that they were getting smaller portions.

Niccol left Chipotle in September to become the chairman and CEO of Starbucks, which has said it won’t raise prices through September 2025.

Restaurant worth worth rise has aggravated U.S. consumers. The worth of food eaten away from home rose 30% between October 2019 and October 2024, according to government figures. The worth of food eaten at home rose 27% in that same period.

Earlier this year, McDonald’s said it was seeing more customers eat at home instead of getting quick food because of worth increases. The business responded with a $5 meal deal and other discounts.