Title: The Main Competitors of Chipotle
Headings: The Main Competitors of Chipotle
The Main Competitors of Chipotle
Key Takeaways
Background on Chipotle
Qdoba Mexican Eats
Moe's Southwest Grill
Baja Fresh Mexican Grill
Rubio's Coastal Grill
Taco Bell
The Bottom Line

Content: The food is also prepared on the spot using healthier ingredients, such as fresh vegetables, poultry, and meat products. As of 1998, five years after its establishment, Chipotle only ran 16 restaurants, all situated in Colorado. That same year, fast-food behemoth McDonald's Corporation ( MCD) became a major investor. By 2006, when McDonald's completed a divestiture from Chipotle, the Mexican-style dining chain had mushroomed to 500 locations. By 2019, the publicly traded Chipotle owned and operated over 2,600 restaurants. Qdoba Mexican Eats
Qdoba operated and franchised eateries in over 700 locations in 2019. As a large Mexican fast-casual restaurant chain, it is one of Chipotle's most significant competitors. A major difference is that about half Qdoba's restaurants were franchises in 2019. After 15 years of expansion under the ownership of fast-food giant Jack in the Box ( JACK ), Qdoba was sold to Apollo Global Management in 2018. Apollo's other restaurant holdings included Chuck E. Cheese’s and Peter Piper Pizza.