Chipotle launches global ‘album premiere listening party’ with pop star Alex Warren

17-7-2025

Today, Thursday July 17, Chipotle Mexican Grill is teaming up with singer and Chipotle superfan Alex Warren for a unique global event: an album premiere listening party for his new album You’ll Be Alright, Kid. From 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM local time, the album will be played in nearly 4,000 Chipotle locations across the U.S., Canada, the UK, and France. It’s the first time an artist has ever launched new music in this many restaurants simultaneously. The album will be officially available on all streaming platforms starting July 18.

This album premiere listening party is a unique collaboration between an artist and a restaurant chain! Inspiration for others?

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Chipotle X Strava | Introducing ‘The City Challenge’ to kick off 2025

6-1-2025

Chipotle Mexican Grill recently announced that its partnership with Strava, the app for active people with more than 135 million users in more than 190 countries, is back and bigger than ever in 2025. Chipotle is launching its first-ever international Chipotle X Strava challenge for participants to compete to win free Lifestyle Bowls for a year, plus free Chipotle for their city(2). New in 2025, the initiative extends beyond the U.S., connecting and motivating Chipotle’s running community across 25 cities in North America and Europe, including New York City, London, Paris, Toronto and more.

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Autocado | A cobotic solution to guacamole prep at Chipotle

14-7-2023

Chipotle Mexican Grill recently announced Autocado, an avocado processing cobotic prototype that cuts, cores, and peels avocados before they are hand mashed to create the restaurant’s famous guacamole. The prototype, developed in collaboration with Vebu, is currently being tested at the Chipotle Cultivate Center in Irvine, California. The device could ultimately reduce guacamole prep time by 50%, allowing Chipotle employees to focus on serving guests and providing great hospitality.

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Chipotle pilots new all-electric restaurant design alongside sustainable campaign

17-4-2023

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) recently announced a new all-electric restaurant design that works to maximize energy efficiency in its equipment and systems and utilizes 100% renewable energy from wind power and solar through the purchase of certified renewable energy credits. The company recently opened restaurants with the new features in Gloucester, Virginia and Jacksonville, Florida, with a third location opening later this summer in Castle Rock, Colorado [1]. The new restaurant design pilot will help Chipotle progress toward its science-based targets, established in alignment with ‘Science Based Targets initiative’ (SBTi), to reduce direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions 50% by 2030 compared to a 2019 baseline.

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Chipotle tests Plant-Based Chorizo

20-8-2021

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) recently announced its latest menu innovation, Plant-Based Chorizo, is in test in Denver and Indianapolis. Plant-Based Chorizo is the brand’s first new plant-based protein option since the debut of Sofritas® in 2014.

Chipotle developed its chorizo alternative internally, passing companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible, which have several deals with other fast food-chains for meat alternatives on their menus. Let’s see if the plant-based Chorizo will become available in all their restaurants.

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Gold foil-wrapped burritos at Chipotle to celebrate American athletes competing in Tokyo

23-7-2021

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) announced this week it will be serving gold foil-wrapped burritos for a limited time at participating locations in-restaurant and through digital orders starting today, July 23. The limited-edition gold foil will celebrate American athletes competing in Tokyo and rally fans to cheer on first place finishes over the next three weeks. This is the first time Chipotle has introduced gold foil nationwide since it celebrated its 18th anniversary and debuted gold foil-wrapped burritos in 2011.

Do you celebrate your athletes also competing in the same Olympic Games? Five years ago, in 2016, we made a list of ten original celebrations with an Olympic theme from Brasil, check out this article for inspiration. And check out the way Chipotle made a pre-announcement on their social media channels!   

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Chipotle sustainable video clip

13-7-2012

Mexican restaurant Chipotle collaborated with country music legend Willie Nelson and film-maker Johnny Kelly to create an animated video. In the clip they emphasize the importance of developing a sustainable food system. It’s a clear positioning strategy by the restaurant, that has a very complete website as well.

Trends we spotted | Week 17

28-4-2026

At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:

• Top chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is serving a hotdog, street food in front of the Mark Hotel in New York.
• Are you going to New York? You can create a unique selfie on one of the 900 pedestrian crossings of New York!
• TRIBE Hotels launched a TRIBE Vinyl Club on Disquaire Day / Record Store Day on April 18.
• In celebration of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, hitting theaters May 22, Burger King in the US is launching their ‘Out of This Galaxy Limited-Time Menu’.
• The Sauna Club opened their first mini-spa location at Moai Beach Club in Zandvoort (the Netherlands).
• During Antwerp Art Weekend (May 14–17), WOLF will present a new installation by Marius Ritiu at their Felix Pakhuis location.
• Starbucks partners with Warner Bros. to bring the world of Harry Potter to Asia Pacific stores.
• SeaWorld San Diego will open Shark Encounter on May 22, an immersive exhibit showcasing sharks through interactive environments and advanced multimedia.
• You can buy chef Olivier Roellinger’s spices at Épices Roellinger in Paris, and at authorized retailers all over France and even one in the UK and in San Francisco.

Enjoy reading!

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Trends we spotted | Week 14

7-4-2026

At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:

• Funny April Fools’ Day jokes: the Friturette from Snacksalon de Schelp and the orange oysters from Pesca.
• Restaurant Aroma is closing and is offering a special way to say goodbye with a menu in 19 scenes.
• On April 22 and 23 2026, the Independent Hotel Show Amsterdam will take place for independent hoteliers and boutique hotel professionals.
• Marriott International and the Leali family are launching a joint venture to add Lefay, the luxury wellness hotel brand, to the Marriott portfolio.
• Pup flight or a Bark-cuterie at the Wasserhund Brewing Company pop-up.
• KFC in Spain is transforming its restaurant signs into giant döner skewers.
• A new season brings new products to the Dutch fastfood-chain Family: the Peanut Butter Shake and the Chicken Smashburger.
• Radisson Hotel Group opens the Radisson Hotel Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Hoofddorp.
• Fletcher Hotels expands its international presence with the acquisition of the Parkhotel Olsberg-Winterberg in Germany.

Enjoy reading!

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Trends we spotted | Week 4

27-1-2026

At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:

• Did you know that 1 in 8 Americans has worked at a McDonald’s restaurant at some point? McDonald’s in the US taps into this insight with McDonald’s Arches & Ambition, the 1 in 8 Mentorship Program.
• Bouldering is also fairly popular in the Netherlands. Recently, we came across two new variations: moving climbing walls.
• Happy Doggo: squeaky dog toys shaped like fries, sandwiches and burgers at McDonald’s France. Likely a hit with many Dutch dog lovers and McDo fans as well!
• Burger King US introduced The Ultimate Steakhouse Whopper as part of its ‘Whopper by You’ initiative.
• McDonald’s Germany launched a new vegetarian platform with the introduction of five plant-based products: Veggie lovers welcome.
• On Saturday 31 January, Stooges’ Funhouse opens in Het Industriegebouw on Rotterdam’s Goudsesingel. This will be their second location in Rotterdam.
• From February 26 until the next edition of De Vrienden van Amstel LIVE, a musical get-together, hits the road. Every Thursday evening, a different traditional pub hosts a night full of music, friendship and atmosphere: Amstel LIVE in the pub.
• Van Gelder Netherlands, producer of plant-based products, launched a unique range of seven fully plant-based sauces and dressings for the foodservice market during HORECAVA 2026.

Enjoy reading!

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