Chipotle plans to evolve its brand messaging as part of a new “Recipe for Growth” strategy, according to an earnings statement. The five-point growth plan comes as the fast casual chain notched its third consecutive quarter of negative comparable sales growth in Q4 2025. Chipotle saw comp sales, an important measure of restaurant health, decrease 1.7% for the full year.
“There remains significant opportunity to expand our leadership in this fast-growing segment by sharpening our positioning, increasing spend and refreshing our campaigns to strengthen our value perception and further engage our guests through new occasions and increased menu innovation,” CEO Scott Boatwright said on a call discussing the company’s earnings with investors.
Chipotle elevated its marketing activity in Q4, with marketing costs representing 3.5% of sales during the quarter. The company expects marketing costs to remain in the mid-3% range in Q1 2026 and in the low 3% range for full year. With that in mind, Chipotle is not taking its foot off the gas when it comes to advertising.
“The marketing calendar this year is more robust and it will be better supported with targeted media than we’ve seen historically in the brand,” Boatwright said.
Executives believe the company’s brand positioning around high-quality protein, fiber and clean ingredients makes it well suited to meet changing consumer behaviors and tastes. Chipotle last week launched a new national TV ad, “Choices,” that juxtaposes the brand’s ingredients with the frozen, factory-produced food of fast-food rivals.
Chipotle has seen strong early results from its recently launched high-protein line, with a double protein promotion achieving a record digital sales day. The chain is also working to build awareness around its Build Your Own Chipotle meal kit offering and expanding catering, two occasions that it sees as opportunities for growth.
“To build on our momentum, we will scale awareness across our marketing channels, leaning into moments that bring people together like sports, holidays and other shared occasions where we have seen our highest incidence,” Boatwright said, adding that the chain is “ramping up” marketing around catering.
Searching for a ‘unicorn’
The chain’s focus on marketing comes as it continues a national search for its next chief marketing officer following the January departure of award-winning brand chief Chris Brandt. Stephanie Perdue, previously Chipotle’s vice president of brand marketing, currently serves as interim CMO.
In addition to a new CMO, Chipotle is looking to hire a new chief digital officer and a vice president of emerging technology to accelerate its approach to innovation. Digital sales represented 36.7% of the company’s total food and beverage revenue in 2025.
The chain is also in the process of relaunching a rewards program which has over 21 million active users but is only tied to about 30% of sales, representing a “significant runway for growth,” according to Boatwright. Chipotle attributed some of the program’s growth to campaigns like its Summer of Extras effort, and has a campaign planned for the spring that will leverage gamification.
An executive search, inclusive of internal and external candidates, is ongoing, with a new CMO appointment expected in the coming moments. Boatwright said that the new executive will have to support key messaging, menu innovation, digital commerce and transactions through loyalty and third-party aggregators — a tall order for a “unicorn” candidate.
“Chris Brandt did a tremendous job making us a purpose-driven lifestyle brand. That doesn’t change, and that doesn’t go away,” Boatwright said. “I think this is the next evolution of the marketing strategy that really pushes us into the next phase of growth for Chipotle.”
