{"id":88456,"date":"2026-05-01T19:45:56","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T19:45:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/chipotle-reports-surprise-sales-beat-as-it-lures-back-customers-with-high-protein-menu\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T19:45:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T19:45:56","slug":"chipotle-reports-surprise-sales-beat-as-it-lures-back-customers-with-high-protein-menu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/chipotle-reports-surprise-sales-beat-as-it-lures-back-customers-with-high-protein-menu\/","title":{"rendered":"Chipotle reports surprise sales beat as it lures back customers with high-protein menu"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Chipotle (CMG) reported that sales improved in the first quarter on Wednesday as the burrito chain aimed to regain momentum amid a tricky consumer backdrop.<\/p>\n
Same-store sales rose 0.5% in Q1, beating expectations for a 0.9% decline, according to Bloomberg consensus data. Revenue grew to $3.09 billion, more than the $3.07 billion expected, while adjusted earnings per share came in line with expectations at $0.24, though profits declined from $0.29 per share in the same quarter last year.<\/p>\n
The stock rose about 3% in premarket trading on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The bar for Chipotle\u2019s results was set somewhat low after the last quarter, when same-store sales fell 2.5%, even as higher menu prices helped offset lower transactions. That was below the 2.9% same-store sales increase that Wall Street expected, according to Bloomberg estimates.<\/p>\n
Chipotle reiterated its forecast for no sales growth in 2026 as its core customer continues to face economic pressure, leading to a decline in traffic.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really just want to remain cautious on our outlook given the dynamic consumer environment,\u201d CEO Scott Boatwright\u00a0said.<\/p>\n
Boatwright added that he believes the company is still pricing its meals at a \u201c20% to 30% discount\u201d to its fast-casual peers. \u201cWe learned last year that the customer was much more discerning on how they spend their cash,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Limited-time offerings like chicken al pastor, the launch of its high-protein menu, and increased marketing help blunt the impact of other headwinds, such as winter storms, higher gas prices, and elevated input costs, Telsey Advisory Group Sarang Vora wrote in a note to clients ahead of the report.<\/p>\n
Boatwright told investors that the company\u2019s \u201cvalue proposition remains industry-leading and differentiating,\u201d and that one-fourth of transactions included\u00a0add-on protein options,\u00a0such as its protein cup.<\/p>\n
He said the team is always looking for better entry points for customers, like it did with the high-protein menu taco, which costs about $3.50. It\u2019s also testing a \u201chappier hour\u201d where consumers can get 2 tacos for less than $3.<\/p>\n
Boatwright also said in the release that the team is bringing on a new chief brand officer and a new chief digital officer to “further strengthen our value proposition, sharpen our brand messaging, and accelerate innovation \u2014 positioning Chipotle for sustained, long-term growth as we advance on our path to becoming a global iconic brand.”<\/p>\n\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>Customers wait in line at a Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant on April 26, 2023, in Austin, Texas. (Brandon Bell\/Getty Images) \u00b7<\/span> Brandon Bell via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Some other catalysts investors were watching include the limited return of honey chicken, the recently relaunched rewards program, and the expansion of catering and customizable group orders.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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