Big-Minded CEO, Small Minds Elsewhere - Kitchen Manager Chipotle Employee Review

2.0
8 Jul 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The CEO - Steve Ellis seems like a genuine guy with a great mind and heart. I was proud to work for him. The Restaurants - Nicely designed, cool industrial theme, and hip music. The Menu - Focused, fresh, simple, and tasty. This helps keep inventory costs down and the food fresh. The Ethics - Chipotle supports a food system that eliminates or reduces the harms it causes. Growth - Its a growing company with opportunities to move up from the bottom.

Cons

My Immediate Boss - He was a minimal worker who belittled his employees and played small-minded games pitting people against each other. He was good a playing power politics, so he kept his job despite these pitfalls. The fact that he was also a serial wife-cheater gives him zero extra credit. The Judge Judy Co-Workers - I'm a friendly, genuine guy who was thrown into a pack of wolves. In my restaurant, I was working with a lot of hurt people who spent their energies hurting others, like the people on many daytime TV programs. The Expectations - The company expected people to move faster than human beings normally move, and this caused stress in the restaurant and harmed the customer experience. I don't like sweaty, obviously hurried people cooking and making my food, and that was the unfortunate reality at the restaurant I worked at far too often. The Rio Grande Gap - The English-speaking managers talked badly about the Spanish-speaking workers; and the reverse was true. This reality created yet more petty dysfunction that took focus away from positive goals.

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5.0
7 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Fast work, free food. great pay

Cons

fast paced work environment, long hours

3.0
4 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Free food for breaks, young team, not many crazy customers compared to other fast food restaurant chains

Cons

Always short-staffed at night and double the work from the mornings, the manager has to close multiple positions alone, with insufficient and poor training because God forbid you clock in to learn how to work best.

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