Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., also known simply as Chipotle, is an American multinational chain of fast casual restaurants specializing in bowls, tacos and Mission burritos made to order in front of the customer. As of December 2025 it had 4,000 locations. Its name comes from chipotle, the Nahuatl name for a smoked and dried jalapeño chili pepper.
Chipotle was founded by Steve Ells on July 13, 1993, when he opened the first Chipotle Mexican Grill in Denver, Colorado, near the University of Denver campus, using an $85,000 loan from his father. McDonald's made a minority investment in the company in 1998, when it had 16 restaurants, and helped it grow to over 500 locations. Chipotle made its initial public offering on January 26, 2006, and McDonald's fully divested its stake in October 2006. The first location outside the United States opened in Toronto in 2008. In May 2018 Chipotle announced that it would move its headquarters from Denver to Newport Beach, California. It trades on the New York Stock Exchange as CMG. The logo shown here, taken from the company's website, is a round medallion with the name CHIPOTLE in white capital letters on a red arch around a dark brown center holding a white line drawing.
Market value
As of October 30, 2026, Chipotle Mexican Grill had a market capitalization of about US$40.6 billion, according to companiesmarketcap.com. Market value changes with the share price every trading day.
Logo history
- 1993: Steve Ells opens the first Chipotle Mexican Grill in Denver on July 13.
- 2006: Chipotle completes its initial public offering on January 26, and McDonald's fully divests its stake in October.
- 2008: Chipotle opens its first location outside the United States, in Toronto.
- 2025: Chipotle reaches 4,000 locations in December.
This timeline lists only changes that a cited source confirms. Earlier or minor variants of the Chipotle Mexican Grill mark that could not be dated from a primary or reputable source are left out rather than guessed.
Logo colors
| Color | HEX | RGB | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | #AC2318 | 172, 35, 24 | Official SVG fill |
| Dark Brown | #441500 | 68, 21, 0 | Official SVG fill |
| White | #FEFEFE | 254, 254, 254 | Official SVG fill |
The Chipotle Mexican Grill palette on this page has 3 recorded values. Red is #AC2318, which is RGB 172, 35, 24. Dark Brown is #441500, which is RGB 68, 21, 0. White is #FEFEFE, which is RGB 254, 254, 254. Where a value comes from a redrawn vector rather than the owner’s own guide, check it against official files before using it in design work.
Typography
No typeface has been named by the company.
FAQ
When was Chipotle Mexican Grill founded?
1993.
What color is the Chipotle Mexican Grill logo?
Red #AC2318 in the vector file.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipotle_Mexican_Grill
- Chipotle official logo (SVG, chipotle.com)
- Chipotle official website
- companiesmarketcap.com, Chipotle Mexican Grill market capitalization (checked October 30, 2026)
Logos shown are trademarks of their owners and are provided for identification and reference. To request removal, contact [email protected].
