Chipotle's Fast-Casual Expansion (1993–2006)
Chipotle opened its first Denver burrito shop in 1993 and grew to more than 500 locations by the time it went public in 2006. The chain helped make fast-casual burrito restaurants a national category.
Rival chains like Qdoba accelerated their own expansion to compete.
New burrito store openings became routine events in cities across the country, including Charlotte.
It frames the Albemarle Road permit as one more step in a decades-long expansion race among burrito chains.
