With about 50,000 employees expected in attendance for the presentation, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. postponed opening its restaurants for four hours to 3 p.m. local time Monday.
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All of the restaurant chain’s 1,900 locations will be temporarily closed for a company-wide meeting on food safety in the aftermath of last year’s E. coli outbreak.
They described plans, already outlined to investors, to central processing of ingredients like tomatoes and bell peppers, increase testing of ingredients and to discourage sick workers from coming to the restaurant by offering paid sick leave.
In November, Chipotle sales plunged 16 percent.
In an effort to win customers back, Chipotle offered a “rain check” for a free burrito. “We worked with experts who helped us create the most effective food safety program possible”. Click the link, enter the information, and Chipotle will send you a QR code for a free burrito within 10 days.
Late past year, Chipotle had to close down 43 locations in OR and Washington after certain stores were linked to an E. coli outbreak.
In January, the company said it had received a federal subpoena in December related to a criminal investigation into the outbreak of norovirus in Simi Valley.
Chipotle co-CEO Monty Moran said last week that executives would go over new procedures to ensure food safety.
The restaurant closed for lunchtime while employees attended training on the company’s new food safety standards. To get one, text the word “raincheck” to 888-222.
Chipotle has been in crisis mode for months since the illnesses were traced to its restaurants.
A exterior image of the Chipotle Mexican Grill located in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City. The cause of the outbreak remains unknown.
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Chipotle said the meeting would provide an opportunity to thank employees, discuss changes and answer questions. The meeting is one of several steps Chipotle is taking to revitalize its operations after a series of health scares that devastated sales in the fourth quarter.
