Chipotle wants to hire 15,000 restaurant workers as it plans double in size to 7,000 restaurants in the coming years

• Chipotle said Thursday that it wants to hire 15,000 employees during its upcoming busy season.
• The chain is known for worker perks such as bonus programs for crew members and debt-free degrees.

Chipotle plans to hire 15,000 workers as it approaches its busiest time of the year and prepares to double its size to 7,000 locations.

To attract applicants, Chipotle said in a press release Thursday that it is launching a campaign featuring six employees who have climbed the ladder from restaurant crew members to management.

Hourly wages depend on the location of the restaurant. A crew member in Denver can make between $14.50 to $16 an hour. According to the company's website, the pay range for an apprentice general manager in the same state is $18.25 to $20.30, depending on skill level.

Hiring and retaining employees has been a years-long battle for the restaurant industry.

Chipotle said campaigns showing the "transparent career progression" of current workers, as well as highlighting company perks, are part of its latest campaign.

Last year, the company made 22,000 internal promotions. Over 90% of management hires made in the previous year were selected from existing employees.

The fast-casual chain, which employs 100,000 people, said it needs more workers to staff its more than 3,100 restaurants from March to May, its busy season. The company said aggressive hiring is also required as it plans to double its store count of 3,100 stores in the coming years.

"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," Scott Boatwright, chief restaurant officer, said in a statement. "We will continue bringing in new crew to support Chipotle's aggressive growth plans while simultaneously promoting and upskilling those currently in role."

One of the company's last big hiring pushes came in May 2021, when it sought to hire 20,000 workers. At the time, restaurants struggled to fill jobs after the easing of coronavirus restrictions. Chipotle had raised the average hourly wage by $2 an hour. The new range shifted from $11 to $18 an hour for US crew members and managers.

Today, the average US hourly wage is above $16, Chipotle told Insider.

Chipotle is widely known for its perks, such as bonus programs for crew members, debt-free degrees, and tuition reimbursement. Other chains that offer college tuition perks include Starbucks and Noodles & Company.

The company is also testing kitchen automation that allows employees to work on more complex tasks. Last year, Chipotle rolled out a pilot program of Chippy, a tortilla-chip-making robot by Miso Robotics.