Chipotle has unveiled five new menu items, including a Mexican chocolate milkshake, in another attempt for the beleaguered company to win back some fans.
The brand announced its new menu items last Thursday, which also include quesadillas, nachos, avocado tostadas, and a salad with avocado-citrus dressing.
Chipotle’s new items are only available at the company’s New York City test kitchen, but they will eventually hit restaurants nationwide.
Test kitchen chef Chad Brauze told reporters during last week’s unveiling that the company ‘wanted something snacky’.
Chipotle has unveiled five new menu items, including a Mexican chocolate milkshake (pictured), in another attempt for the beleaguered company to win back some fans
The brand announced its new menu items last Thursday, which also include quesadillas (pictured), nachos, avocado tostadas, and a salad with avocado-citrus dressing
Chipotle’s chief marketing officer, Chris Brandt, said the next step will be moving the items to the menu at a few location to test consumer reaction.
Some of these items could become permanent items, others might be seasonal specials, but not limited time offers.
The company is also testing out a Paloma made with tequila, grapefruit juice, agave syrup and citrus juice, according to Bustle.
Last year, Chipotle introduced its queso dip, which was met with mixed reviews.
That addition to the menu was expected to help reinvigorate sales that have been hurt by food scares.
But instead, Chipotle received so much backlash over the queso, that they eventually announced they had ‘fixed’ it.
In April, Chipotle’s new CEO, Brian Niccol, announced his plans to make ‘simple menu tweaks,’ redesign its restaurants and expand its delivery service in the coming months.
He said changes to the menu wouldn’t divert much from Chipotle’s brand, which promotes its use of ‘real ingredients’ and ‘responsibly raised’ meats.
Chipotle’s new items are only available at the company’s New York City test kitchen, but they will eventually hit restaurants nationwide. Pictured is the company’s avocado tostada
Wall Street analysts are eager to see how Niccol will put his stamp on Chipotle, which has long positioned itself as a step above fast food.
Another longer-term possibility: drive-thrus, which Niccol said are an ‘interesting proposition for Chipotle.’
Shortly after Niccol took over as CEO, the company announced their headquarters will now be based in California and no Colorado.
Niccol’s main job is to bring customers back to Chipotle, which has struggled to regain its momentum after a 2015 E. coli outbreak sent sales plunging.
E. coli linked to Chipotle restaurants in nine states caused sales to plummet by as much as 22 per cent, the chain said at the time.
The Denver-based company was forced to close restaurants in Oregon and Washington in November 2015 as a result of the outbreak.
Last year, the company faced another dilemma when more than 100 people reported falling ill from eating at a Chipotle in Sterling, Virginia, that was forced to close its doors after one person tested positive for the norovirus.
Chipotle lost $1billion over the course of five days following that incident.