Less than a year after taking the helm as CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Brian Niccol is still scoring big with investors, fueling the chain’s best year since 2013.
Shares of Chipotle soared nearly 50 percent in 2018 — the stock’s best performance since its 80 percent surge in 2013.
Since joining Chipotle in March, Niccol has championed upgrades to the company’s mobile app, its internal software and in-restaurant technology. His goal has been to remove friction in all aspects of the ordering and making process, so that food gets to customers faster.
Niccol’s strategy is as much about driving sales as it is about reminding customers who have left the brand what made them fall in love with Chipotle to begin with.
Chipotle has been updating its kitchens with a second-make line. These are buffets similar to the one at the front of the store, but are just for digital orders. The company is also rolling out digital order pick-up shelves, which are meant to prominently display online orders once they have been filled.
Additionally, Chipotle is testing drive-up windows just for guests to pick up digital orders.
