Chipotle Mexican Grill is launching a hiring campaign to ensure its more than 3,700 restaurants are fully staffed for what it calls its “burrito season”, which runs from March to May.

To improve hiring efficiency, the US-based fast-casual restaurant chain partnered with Paradox in October 2024 to implement an AI-powered hiring platform.

The system, featuring a virtual assistant called Ava Cado, interacts with candidates, answers questions, collects information, schedules interviews and sends out job offers.

The technology has reduced average times from application to job start from 12 days to four and increased the application completion rate from 50% to above 85%.

Chipotle Mexican Grill chief human resources officer Ilene Eskenazi said: “‘Burrito season’ presents candidates with an opportunity to start here, stay here and reach their career goals with us.

“As current team members have demonstrated, our restaurants can be the foundation of a fulfilling career, and we're committed to bringing in the best candidates who share our values and onboarding them as efficiently as possible.”

As part of the hiring campaign, Chipotle also will carry out internal promotions as it expands towards 7,000 restaurants in North America.

In 2024, it promoted 23,000 employees, with 85% of restaurant management positions filled internally.

Several senior leaders, including five of its 11 regional vice-presidents, started as crew members and now oversee business operations generating more than $1bn in sales.

At Field Leader level, responsible for overseeing multiple restaurants, 84% were promoted internally.

As of 31 December 2024, Chipotle operates more than 3,700 restaurants in Canada, France, Germany, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, the UK and the US.

It is the only restaurant company of its size to own and operate all its locations in North America and Europe.

In November 2024, Chipotle reached a significant milestone with the opening of its 1000th Chipotlane restaurant in the Kansas City metro area of the US.