Chipotle is requiring employees to smile at customers as part of an effort to improve its reputation for customer service. During the company’s latest earnings call, Chief Restaurant Officer Scott Boatwright revealed that a customer survey last year found the chain often came across as unfriendly and that some locations were messy during peak hours.
In response, Chipotle has rolled out a set of standards across its nearly 3,800 restaurants to address these concerns. These include smiling while preparing food, offering sincere thank-yous at checkout, keeping dining areas and drink stations clean, and promptly resolving any customer issues. “Smiles down the line don’t slow us down,” Boatwright said, noting that staff have received new training to meet these expectations.
A Chipotle spokesperson added that the company emphasized exceptional hospitality during its March Field Leader Conference, encouraging leaders to foster a cleaner and more welcoming environment.
Chipotle isn’t alone in this approach. Starbucks recently introduced a similar initiative, asking staff to write personalized notes on to-go cups to build customer connections.
The changes come amid a sluggish first quarter for Chipotle, which saw a 0.4% drop in comparable sales due to fewer transactions, despite a 6.4% increase in overall revenue driven by new store openings.
