Chipotle seeking to hire 15K new employees

Chipotle is looking to hire 15,000 new employees.

The fast-food chain said in a statement it wants to be fully staffed for “burrito season,” the period from March to May when the company does the most business.

“Our restaurant teams are the core of this organization and with a goal of more than doubling our footprint to 7,000 locations in North America, we are targeting employees today to serve as our leaders of tomorrow,” said Scott Boatwright, Chipotle’s chief restaurant officer.

Chipotle has tapped current employees who have risen through the ranks to help with their marketing campaign for the hiring blitz.

“Working at Chipotle over the past nine years and learning from its restaurant leaders has changed my life,” said Nakeysha Clark, a certified training manager in Washington, D.C. “As my career path has evolved, I am now able to impact other people’s lives and provide new opportunities for growth like someone did for me.”

Chipotle said in 2021 that it was increasing its starting wage to an average of $15.

The U.S. restaurant industry has struggled to recover since the beginning of the pandemic. According to The Associated Press, employment in restaurants is down 3.6% from before the pandemic.

By Scripps News.