Chipotle Opens First Mexican Restaurant in Nuevo León State

Herz — Business Desk · 14 July 2026 at 03:28 · 30s summary · 3 min read

What we know

Chipotle Mexican Grill opens its first restaurant in Mexico during the week of July 14, 2026, according to the BBC. The American chain, founded in 1993 and specializing in Tex-Mex cuisine, has chosen Nuevo León State in the northeast of the country, near the Texas border. Management describes the event as a "significant milestone".

The opening is happening in partnership with Alsea S.A.B. de C.V., one of Latin America's largest restaurant operators. Its portfolio includes the Domino's Pizza, Starbucks, and Chili's franchises. The chain plans additional locations in Nuevo León State, followed by an expansion to Mexico City in 2027.

Chipotle operates more than 4,100 restaurants worldwide and plans up to 370 new locations in 2026, including restaurants in Singapore and South Korea.

with a profound respect for the country's culinary heritage

— Scott Boatwright, CEO of Chipotle, on the chain's entry into Mexico

Context: When American chains venture into the homeland

Taco Bell, an American fast-casual restaurant chain with a Tex-Mex theme, attempted twice to establish itself in Mexico. It left the country in 2010 without having attracted a Mexican customer base.

Domino's Pizza offers a similar precedent in Italy. The chain closed its last Italian restaurants in 2022, after approximately seven years of operations, unable to compete with strong local pizzeria chains.

Social media reactions

The announcement sparked mixed reactions on social media. Many users mocked the decision, comparing the initiative to "Pizza Hut opening in Naples".

Timeline

1. 2010
   Taco Bell definitively leaves Mexico after its two expansion attempts fail to win over local consumers.
2. Around 2015
   Domino's Pizza opens its first restaurants in Italy.
3. 2022
   Domino's Pizza closes its last Italian restaurants after approximately seven years of operations.