Rumors surrounding Chipotle filing for bankruptcy have sparked panic online, leading some users to believe the beloved Mexican-inspired chain is closing its doors.
The claims spread after a Spanish media outlet Unión Rayo published a report about the closure of Farmesa Fresh Eatery, a spinoff venture Chipotle invested and tested for a few months in 2023, reported
Chipotle spokesperson Erin Wolford refuted the rumors on Saturday, sharing in a statement that the “false information stemmed from an inaccurate online article confusing Chipotle with a venture it tested in 2023.”
The outlet has since apologized for the “false article.”
What is Farmesa Fresh Eatery?
Farmesa Fresh Eatery was a restaurant concept tested by Chipotle for a few months in a Santa Monica food hall in 2023.
“Farmesa is a fresh, bold concept featuring delicious proteins, greens, grains and vegetables that are inspired by Chipotle’s Food with Integrity standards,” Chipotle said in a February 2023 news release.
Farmesa was slated to serve a variety of bowls complete with a protein, green or grain, two sides, a choice of five sauces, and a topping option that cost between $11.95 to $16.95.
Is Chipotle closing?
Chipotle is doing the opposite of closing. On Tuesday Chipotle responded to a user on X and said the rumors surrounding closures were “completely false” and the chain was “rapidly growing.”
The chain is planning to expand in 2025 and anticipate opening between 315 to 345 new restaurants with the majority of new restaurants including a digital drive-thru, Wolford told USA TODAY.
In February Chipotle posted its fourth quarter and full year financial snapshot, revealing to investors in a Feb. 4 earnings call the company’s total revenue for 2024 was $11.3 billion, a 14.6% increase from 2023. The earnings call indicated zero debt and over $2 billion in cash reserves, Wolford said.
“Chipotle had another outstanding year,” Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright said in a news release. “I want to make sure that as we continue to scale Chipotle, everything we do is in service of our guests or those who serve our guests.”
Chipotle opened 304 company-owned restaurants with 257 locations including a Chipotlane, and three international licensed restaurants in 2024, the company said. Chipotle also recently introduced a new protein option: Honey Chicken.
Chipotle Nashville locations
Chipotle has seven locations across Nashville, they can be found at:
- Chipotle MetroCenter Nashville (2032 Rosa L Parks Blvd.)
- Chipotle Nashville West End (2825 W. End Ave.)
- Chipotle Green Hills (3900 Hillsboro Pike)
- Chipotle Vanderbilt (400 21st Ave. S.)
- Chipotle Nashville West (6838 Charlotte Pike)
- Chipotle 100 Oaks (731 Thompson Lane)
- Chipotle Belle Meade (96 White Bridge Pike)
Contributing: USA TODAY
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Is Chipotle closing restaurants in 2025? What to know in Nashville
