If you love Chipotle, you probably know where the closest locations are to you. But maybe you want to travel, and you’re curious if you can eat at your favorite place.
Or you might be moving somewhere new and looking to find your new closest Chipotle. Consider where you can find the restaurant.
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Is Chipotle in Every State?
Chipotle is not in every state, but it’s in most states. The chain has at least one location in each of the 48 contiguous US states as well as Washington DC. Unfortunately, you won’t find the restaurant in Hawaii, Alaska, or some of the US territories.
Even if a state has a Chipotle, the closest store may still be miles away. The restaurant isn’t as common in smaller towns.
How Many Chipotle Locations Are There?
As of this writing, there are 3,008 Chipotle locations across 1,432 cities in the US. Those cities are in 48 states plus DC.
It’s possible the number of locations can change in the future. Chipotle may open new stores, but it could also close existing stores that aren’t performing well.
States With the Most Chipotle Locations
Many of the states with the most Chipotle locations are ones you’d expect. California tops the list with 444 restaurants, and Texas is a distant second with 268 stores.
However, Ohio comes in third place with 217 Chipotles, and Florida’s close behind with 210. New York rounds out the top five with190 Chipotle restaurants.
Cities With the Most Chipotle Locations
As with the states, the cities with more Chipotle locations shouldn’t be too surprising, but some are. New York has 54 locations, while Chicago is home to 39.
You’ll find 33 in Houston and 27 in Minneapolis. Denver’s 26 restaurants lands it in fifth place for the most Chipotles.
Places With No Chipotle Locations
Unfortunately, you won’t find a Chipotle just anywhere in the US. Hawaii and Alaska both have 0 Chipotle locations.
Territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa also don’t have the chain. The US Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands also don’t have any Chipotle locations.
Alternatives to Chipotle
If you travel or move to somewhere with no Chipotle restaurants, all hope isn’t lost. You can consider a few alternatives to the Mexican chain. They aren’t quite the same, but they come close, especially if you haven’t had Chipotle in a while.
Then, you can still fulfill your craving for a burrito or burrito bowl.
Qdoba
Qdoba is one of the most similar restaurants to Chipotle. They let you build your bowl as you walk down the ordering line.
Alaska is home to four Qdoba locations, and you’ll find one in Puerto Rico. Of course, Hawaii doesn’t have this chain, and neither do other states like Maine.
Moe’s Southwest Grill
Another alternative to check out is Moe’s Southwest Grill. This is the best alternative for anyone in Hawaii, and you’ll find one location.
Unfortunately, Moe’s doesn’t operate in Alaska or the territories. It’s also not in states such as Kansas or Nebraska.
Taco Bell
It’s not as healthy as some, but you can’t go wrong with Taco Bell. As long as you’re okay with Americanized Mexican food, you can go to the restaurant.
You’ll find 15 Taco Bell locations in Alaska. Hawaii is home to 31 stores, but it doesn’t look like you can get it in the territories.
Make Your Own
One of the best alternatives works wherever you are, as long as you have a grocery store. You can recreate your favorite Chipotle items at home.
Make sure you buy rice, beans, and your protein of choice. Include some salsa and veggies as well as guacamole and queso.
You can also find a copycat guacamole recipe online and make it yourself. There are also queso recipes that come pretty close to what you’ll find at Chipotle.
Why Isn’t Chipotle in Every State?
There are many potential reasons why Chipotle isn’t in every state. First, the company doesn’t franchise, so you can’t just open a store where you live.
The corporate office also might not find there’s enough demand for Chipotle in certain areas. So they may have determined opening a location isn’t worth it.
Also, Chipotle uses fresh ingredients. Getting those to Alaska, Hawaii, and the territories could be too expensive, so if they did operate there, the food would cost much more.
Fortunately, you can make your own copycat Chipotle bowl. You can also find other Mexican restaurants that serve similar items.
How Many States Is Chipotle In?
Chipotle is in 48 states as well as Washington DC. Hawaii and Alaska are the two states without any locations, possibly because transporting fresh ingredients there is too difficult. You also won’t find the restaurant in any of the territories. Luckily, people have posted copycat recipes of the guacamole and queso, so you can make your own Chipotle-style bowls at home.