Chipotle Q1 Revenue Beats Estimates, Comp Sales Up 0.5%

Chipotle Mexican Grill reported first-quarter earnings on April 29 that exceeded revenue forecasts and marked a return to growth in comparable restaurant sales, though profitability declined amid rising costs, prompting an initial sell-off in its shares.

The fast-casual chain posted revenue of $3.09 billion for the quarter ended March 31, surpassing analyst estimates of $3.07 billion and reflecting 7.4 percent growth from the prior year. Earnings per share came in at $0.24 on an adjusted basis, matching consensus expectations but down from $0.29 a year earlier. Comparable restaurant sales, a key metric for stores open at least 13 months, rose 0.5 percent, driven by a 0.6 percent increase in customer traffic partially offset by a 0.1 percent dip in average check size. This marked the first positive reading after negative comparable sales throughout 2025.

The company opened 49 new company-owned restaurants during the period, including 42 with Chipotlane drive-thru lanes for digital orders, bringing its total to 4,090 locations. Executives credited strong demand for high-protein menu items and digital sales channels for the traffic gains.

Profit margins faced headwinds from higher...