Get Herald RSSBrown students hungry for massive burritos will soon be able to satisfy their urge - Chipotle Mexican Grill will expand to nearby Warwick this summer and plans to eventually come to Providence.
Though Chipotle will begin with just one site in metropolitan Providence, the company never goes into a market "with just one restaurant," spokesman Chris Arnold wrote in an e-mail to The Herald. "Warwick gets us into the Providence metro area and there will be others sprinkled around the area as well."
The restaurant mainly serves burritos wrapped in 13-inch flour tortillas and tacos. Some of the produce the company uses is organic, and the pork comes from free-range hogs. It also uses all-natural chicken and beef in some markets.
The restaurant already has locations in many college towns, including Berkeley, Calif., Austin, Texas, and Ann Arbor, Mich. Still, college students are "not a majority" of the customers, Arnold wrote, though he noted that the company appeals to college students because they can get a lot of food - a burrito usually packs over 1,000 calories - for not much more than $5.
College students have a "philosophical alignment with what we do with the food," Arnold wrote, referring to the company's treatment of animals and its movement into "organic and locally grown produce." But in general, college students "come to us for the same reasons" other people do - they like the food, Arnold wrote.
Most Chipotle restaurants also have liquor licenses and sell bottled beer and margaritas. "It's part of the overall mix," Arnold wrote.
Jorge Chiguila, manager of Gordito Burrito on Thayer Street, said he was unsure what effect Chipotle will have on area restaurants. "I never tried the food, so I don't know," he said. But Chiguila added, "people around here don't like" the notion of Chipotle getting a liquor license.
Students are excited about Chipotle's arrival. Though Dennis Kozee '10 said he has only eaten at Chipotle twice, he likes the restaurant. "I love Chipotle because every time I eat something from there, I don't have to worry about eating for another four days. It's great," he said.
Bryan Smith '10 also said he is excited about the restaurant's upcoming arrival. "I love Chipotle, and I'm glad they finally realized how well one would do in Providence," he said.
Chipotle began in Denver, Colo., in 1993 and was founded by Steve Ells near the University of Denver. It then became a subsidiary of fast-food giant McDonald's. Last October, the Mexican fast-food chain became independent again when it separated itself from its parent company as McDonald's moved away from owning other brands.
Most Chipotle restaurants are structured so customers order and receive their food at a counter and can eat in or take away.
Chipotle restaurants can be anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 square feet, and Arnold said the restaurant in Warwick will probably fall somewhere in the middle in terms of size. According to the company's Web site, "Each Chipotle uses the same basic materials - wood, concrete, raw steel and metals - but no two look the same."
The company recently expanded to Boston, and there is one restaurant in Medford, Mass. - near Tufts University - that is currently the closest location to Brown.
In addition to Rhode Island, the company also plans to move into the Salt Lake City and Birmingham, Ala., markets. Arnold said the company considers "a lot of variables" when determining where to expand. The 573-unit company opens a new restaurant every four days, according to a February article in BusinessWeek magazine.
