When Scott Boatwright joined Chipotle Mexican Grill as chief operating officer eight years ago, he worked closely with the burrito chain’s founder, Steve Ells. Chipotle was laser-focused on operations at the time, as it looked to rebuild sales after a safety crisis a couple of years earlier. But Boatwright felt that there was one ingredient missing: an extra touch of hospitality.
As Boatwright, CEO since last November, recalls it, Ells told him that Chipotle didn’t need to be friendly, it just needed to be fast. That’s changing now that Boatwright is in charge. And friendlier service is a key prong in his plan to leave his mark on a quick-service chain.
