5 Things You Might Not Know About Chipotle Mexican Grill CEO Brian Niccol

Chipotle Mexican, Grill Inc. CMG founder Steve Ellis announced he was stepping down as the leader of the company in late 2017. Ellis was succeeded by industry veteran Brian Niccol, who has been credited with helping to steer the company forward from a brand crisis.

Here are five things you might not know about Chipotle Mexican Grill CEO Brian Niccol, the day-to-day leader of the 2,700-plus restaurant company.

1. Restaurant, Brand Experience: Niccol came to Chipotle armed with years of experience in the restaurant industry. For more than 13 years, Niccol served in various roles under the YUM! Brands, Inc. YUM umbrella.

At YUM! Brands, roles for Niccol included roles as chief marketing officer and general manager of Pizza Hut, as well as his last role as the CEO of Taco Bell for two years.

Prior to joining restaurants, Niccol spent more than 10 years in various marketing and brand management roles with consumer products powerhouse Procter & Gamble Co PG. The experience leading marketing and brand management likely came into play with Chipotle hiring him. Chipotle was fresh off of a foodborne illness outbreak that had hurt the brand’s reputation.

2. Met Wife On Blind Date: Niccol has been married to his wife Jennifer for more than 15 years. The couple began their relationship through a blind date. The story has it that Jennifer agreed to the blind date because she was told that Niccol looked like Tom Cruise.

The couple attended Miami University in Ohio together and has donated to their alma mater over the years.

Related Link: 4 Analysts Give Thumbs Up To Chipotle’s Latest Earnings Report

3. Led Chipotle Drive-Thru Growth: One area Niccol pressed Chipotle to grow was its drive-thru windows. The “Chipotlanes” serve as pickup stations for orders placed through the company’s app. While the idea was created before Niccol arrived, he pressed hard on it thanks to his experience in fast food.

4. Off-Premise, Digital Growth: Another key area Niccol has led was the company’s increased efforts in off-premise and digital sales.

The team before Niccol had started to utilize second production lines in stores for to-go orders and created an app. After joining the Chipotle team, Niccol pushed on the digital growth making sure all locations had pickup slots for to-go orders.

“Less than a year later, we had them in all 2,500 restaurants,” Niccol said at the time.

Digital sales grew 88% year-over-year to $1 billion in 2019, Niccol’s first full year on the job.

5. Restaurant Leader of the Year: Niccol was named the 2020 Restaurant Leader of the Year by Restaurant Business in January 2020. The annual honor is one of the top awards in the industry. Niccol’s success in leading Chipotle forward and rebuilding the leadership team was cited as a key reason.

New menu items and increased focus on to-go orders were other reasons given for Niccol winning the award.

“This man is a true leader, in every sense of the word,” Restaurant Business Content Director Sara Rush Wirth said at the time crediting Niccol with “recapturing Chipotle’s magic.”

Photo: Courtesy Chipotle