Dive Brief:
- Chipotle’s revamped loyalty program is producing strong results, including growing active membership to more than 24 million customers, CEO Scott Boatwright said on a Q3 2026 earnings call Wednesday.
- The overhauled Chipotle Rewards, which launched in April, drove one-third of sales, according to Boatwright. This is the highest share of sales from loyalty program members ever, and Boatwright sees room to move that number even higher.
- Members are engaging with the gamified elements as well, completing 600,000 challenges and earning 25 million badges, Boatwright said. “This is exactly what the program is designed to do — deepen engagement and give guests more reasons to visit Chipotle.”
Dive Insight:
Chipotle’s ongoing strength in loyalty contributed to an overall positive quarter at the company.
Comparable restaurant sales increased 2.1% year over year, and revenue rose 9.6% year over year to $3.3 billion in the third quarter of 2026, according to an earnings report. The results marked the third consecutive quarter of comparable restaurant sales growth.
The changes to Chipotle Rewards tied into the chain's overall goal of improving its value proposition. The revamp added perks such as free guacamole and chips after signing up, new options for redeeming points, and additional birthday rewards, among other changes.
The restaurant chain isn’t resting on its laurels and will continue to add new features and benefits to Chipotle Rewards.
There is an opportunity for greater personalization over the longer term, according to Boatwright. The company also plans to improve its ability to identify members in-restaurant and reengage lapsed customers.
Chipotle is making progress with a frictionless rewards pilot in which customers who use Apple Pay in store automatically earn points without needing to scan their rewards card, according to Boatwright. Nearly one-third of Chipotle customers use Apple Pay in store, and the frictionless rewards technology is expected to roll out across the chain in 2027.
“It's a simple change, but an important one because it reduces a key friction point while also supporting throughput,” Boatwright said.
The pilot also advances Chipotle’s goal to increase in-restaurant loyalty participation, as only about 20% of in-restaurant transactions utilized rewards in Q2 2026, according to Boatwright on a July earnings call.
Boatwright did not provide an update on in-store loyalty transactions during the third quarter call, but he did acknowledge that in-store enrollments have remained elevated.
