"Founded in Denver, Colorado in 1993 by Steve Ells, who was inspired by the taquerias of northern California, Chipotle Mexican Grill has done much to popularize the traditional, San Francisco-style burritos that have been loved by locals for decades. Today, the chain is known for more than just burritos - serving everything from burrito bowls and tacos to tender barbacoa beef and its fan favorite smoked brisket."
"The demand for Chipotle's customizable burritos, bowls, tacos, and more is certainly present in Alaska and Hawaii, as shown by Facebook groups and online petitions. Chipotle fans have been devoted to bringing Chipotle to cities such as Anchorage, Alaska and the island of Oahu, Hawaii for years. So, why are there still no Chipotle locations in these two states? The reason could be as simple as how far away the two states are."
Chipotle Mexican Grill began in Denver in 1993 and popularized San Francisco-style burritos. The chain offers burritos, bowls, tacos, barbacoa beef, and smoked brisket. Chipotle operates about 3,770 U.S. locations as of July 2025 and 91 locations in Canada, the UK, France, and Germany. Alaska and Hawaii currently lack any Chipotle restaurants despite visible local demand through Facebook groups and petitions. Both states have relatively low populations, but distance from mainland distribution centers and separation by ocean or foreign territory create logistical challenges for a fresh, no-freezer daily-prepared model. Other low-population states have at least one Chipotle, indicating population alone does not explain the absence.
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