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Dec. 31—After opening its first restaurant in Lebanon on Friday morning, the local Chipotle Mexican Grill was abuzz within 15 minutes of its doors opening.
Located at 620 South Cumberland St., the restaurant is already drawing crowds. Shortly after the doors were unlocked, general manager Rachel Kaulay said that the opening was going well and that Chipotle was excited to be in Lebanon.
Kaulay was hired in mid-2022 after the company announced the new location at the beginning of the year.
"When I was looking for a job I wanted to look for a company that stood by their people, and Chipotle does a lot for their employees," Kaulay said. "They have excellent benefits, and on top of that, they take a lot of pride in their food."
Chipotle is an American chain of fast casual restaurants specializing in bowls, tacos and Mission burritos that are made to order in front of the customer.
Kaulay said that they know where all of their vegetables and ingredients originate from, which was an important factor of her job choice.
"All of our animals are free range and not fed any antibiotics," Kaulay said. "It's top-of-the-line ingredients."
The hiring process to staff the new location hasn't been difficult.
"Chipotle pays premium compared to other places, so it wasn't that difficult to find quality people to work here," Rachel said. "Lebanon has been super welcoming.
Chipotle said in an e-mail statement, "We're always looking for communities where we can serve responsibly-sourced, classically-cooked, real food and establish new local partnerships, and the Lebanon area is a great fit. The Lebanon location opens us up to a new community and makes it more accessible for everyone to enjoy real food without added colors, flavors, or other additives."
Guests who visit the new location will also have the option to order ahead via the app and pick up their meal at the Chipotlane drive-thru, which is an addition different from traditional Chipotle restaurants.
"Chipotlanes differ from the traditional Chipotle layout by increasing access and convenience with a speedy and seamless guest experience," Chipotle representatives shared.
The restaurant gave away free T-shirts and keychains to celebrate its opening.
Restaurant hours will be from 10:45 a.m. until 10 p.m.