Both Chipotle and Freebirds are popular Tex-Mex style fast casual restaurants serving burritos, tacos, and other Mexican inspired dishes. There has been some debate over which restaurant was established first and which inspired the other. Let’s take a closer look at the origins and histories of both Chipotle and Freebirds to get to the bottom of which came first.
When was Chipotle Founded?
Chipotle Mexican Grill was founded in 1993 by Steve Ells in Denver, Colorado. Ells, a classically trained chef, opened the first Chipotle restaurant with the goal of bringing gourmet style Mexican food to the masses using high quality ingredients prepared in an interactive open kitchen format.
The original Chipotle restaurant was located near the University of Denver campus and proved immensely popular with the college crowd. This led Ells to rapidly expand Chipotle to multiple locations throughout Colorado.
Key dates in Chipotle’s early history:
- 1993 – First Chipotle opens in Denver, CO
- 1995 – First expansion outside Colorado with restaurants in Minneapolis, MN and Columbus, OH
- 1998 – 16 restaurants throughout the Midwest and Pacific Northwest
- 1999 – McDonald’s Corporation makes a minority investment in Chipotle
- 2006 – Chipotle goes public on the NYSE; McDonald’s fully divests its ownership
So the definitive date of Chipotle’s founding as a restaurant chain is 1993 in Denver, CO by founder Steve Ells.
When was Freebirds Founded?
Freebirds World Burrito, now simply known as Freebirds, was founded in 1987 by Mark Orfalea while he was a student at UC Santa Barbara. Along with two fellow students, Orfalea opened the first Freebirds in Isla Vista, CA near the UCSB campus.
Like Chipotle, Freebirds gained popularity by serving fresh, innovative Mexican cuisine in an interactive service style attractive to college students. Freebirds expanded throughout California before jumping to Texas where it found further success near university campuses.
Key dates in Freebirds’ early history:
- 1987 – First Freebirds opens in Isla Vista, CA
- 1989 – Second location opens in San Marcos, CA
- 1994 – First Texas location opens in College Station near Texas A&M
- 2001 – Headquarters moved to Austin, TX
- 2007 – 50th Freebirds location opens
So Freebirds was founded in 1987 in Isla Vista, CA, making it the older of the two chains. It predates the founding of Chipotle by 6 years.
How did the two chains compare in the early years?
In the first decade after each of their foundings, Chipotle and Freebirds followed similar strategies focused on university and college towns but with Chipotle expanding more rapidly nationwide.
| Year | Chipotle Locations | Freebirds Locations |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 1 | 1 |
| 1995 | 4 | 2 |
| 1998 | 16 | 3 |
| 2000 | 29 | 10 |
| 2005 | 484 | 34 |
As this data shows, in their early years both chains grew steadily. But Chipotle expanded much more rapidly, leveraging major outside investments to open hundreds of locations nationwide by the mid 2000s. Meanwhile, Freebirds focused primarily on California and Texas and maintained a more modest expansion rate in its first two decades.
How did the menus and cuisines compare initally?
The original menus and culinary approaches of Chipotle and Freebirds had many similarities as well as differences:
Shared Menu Items and Traits:
- Burritos and tacos as signature items
- Customization of dishes with choice of ingredients
- Meat choices including steak, chicken, carnitas (pork)
- Utilization of fresh, high quality ingredients
Differences:
- Chipotle focused more on simplicity with just a few proteins and sauces
- Freebirds offered more proteins, sauces, and specialty options like queso and nachos
- Chipotle highlighted sustainability and naturally raised meats
- Freebirds promoted adventurous flavor combinations and spicy sauces
So while both operated in the “Tex-Mex fast casual” space, Chipotle streamlined the menu while Freebirds went for wide ranging creativity. Chipotle took a fine dining approach of perfecting a few high quality items. Freebirds was more bold and experimental while also maintaining fresh ingredients.
When did each chain expand into the other’s territory?
For the first decade plus, Chipotle and Freebirds co-existed without direct competition as each focused on different geographical areas. This changed as the chains eventually expanded into each other’s stronghold markets:
- Early 2000s – Freebirds opens first restaurants outside of California, primarily in Texas
- 2005 – Chipotle opens first restaurant in California
- 2008 – Chipotle opens locations in Texas, first direct competition with Freebirds in its home state
- 2009 – Freebirds opens first location outside of California and Texas (Norman, OK)
- 2013 – Freebirds opens first restaurant in Colorado, Chipotle’s home state
So the two chains remained fairly regional and non-competitive until the mid-to-late 2000s when national growth led to overlapping territories. This was more driven by Chipotle’s expansion vs Freebirds, which stayed mostly in the southwest until after 2010.
How has each chain grown and changed over time?
Looking at the full history of both brands, Chipotle saw more explosive growth driven by investment and ambition for national recognition. Freebirds grew at a steadier incremental pace while staying closer to its regional roots.
Chipotle Growth and Changes:
- Grew from 1 to over 500 locations in first 12 years
- McDonald’s was majority investor from 1998 to 2006, fueling rapid expansion
- Went public in 2006; reached 1,000 locations by 2009
- Currently over 3,000 locations nationwide as of 2023
- Added theme “Tex Mex Grill” in 2013 to clarify cuisine
- Various food safety issues and scandals caused some closures and lost business from 2015-2018
- Continues tweaking menu with new items like quesadillas (2018) and pollo asado (2019)
Freebirds Growth and Changes:
- Expanded at steady pace, took 29 years to reach 100 locations
- Remained privately owned regional chain through first 20 years
- Reached 500th location milestone in 2016
- Currently over 60 locations, primarily in California and Texas as of 2023
- Was purchased by private equity firm Tavistock Group in 2019
- Closed 10 underperforming locations in 2020 due to pandemic struggles
- Launched updated restaurant design and branding in 2021
Chipotle followed an aggressive fast growth model fueled by outside investment to reach national scale. Freebirds kept growth gradual and organic while staying loyal to its regional western roots. Both chains continue evolving menus and branding while facing business challenges along the way.
Which company has been more financially successful overall?
Without question, Chipotle has seen far greater financial success and scale since its founding. A look at key financial metrics shows Chipotle’s much larger size and profitability:
| Metric | Chipotle | Freebirds |
|---|---|---|
| Current Locations | Over 3,000 | Over 60 |
| 2022 Revenue | $8.1 billion | N/A (private) |
| Market Value | $41 billion (publicly traded) | N/A (private) |
| Average Unit Volumes | $2.7 million (industry leading) | N/A (private) |
Chipotle’s vast size and unit volumes allowed it achieve dominant financial success. The decision to fuel early growth with outside investment and rapid expansion gave Chipotle the scale needed to become a restaurant industry leader. Freebirds remains a beloved regional player but has not matched Chipotle’s financial heights.
How did each chain influence or inspire the other?
Though Freebirds was founded first, there are signs that each chain took inspiration from the innovations of the other over time:
Possible Chipotle Inspirations from Freebirds:
- Offering beans as side option (late 1990s)
- Introducing burrito bowls (early 2000s)
- Adding quesadillas to menu (2018)
Possible Freebirds Inspirations from Chipotle:
- Focused streamlined menu with just proteins, salsas, etc.
- Sourcing natural and responsibly raised meats
- Opened locations outside core region to expand reach
Chipotle’s bigger size and visibility likely influenced Freebirds. But early innovations like burrito bowls and quesadillas at Freebirds may have inspired Chipotle to later add their own versions after seeing success. The chains borrowing best ideas from each other resulted in improved menus and service models.
How do the chains compare today in terms of menu, models, and locations?
While they share the “Tex-Mex fast casual” descriptors, Chipotle and Freebirds have diverged quite a bit when it comes to current menu, restaurant models, and footprint:
Menu:
- Chipotle has streamlined, limited menu focused on core proteins, bowls, etc.
- Freebirds has larger, more creative menu with bold flavor options and additions like nachos and queso
Model:
- Chipotle features assembly line service for speed and efficiency
- Freebirds uses open kitchens and customized assembly for each order
Locations:
- Chipotle has over 3,000 locations across US, Canada, Europe
- Freebirds remains under 100 locations exclusively in western US
The differences in scale, menus, and models allow the brands to co-exist without direct competition today. Fans appreciate the unique qualities of each while enjoying their shared emphasis on freshness.
Conclusion
Analyzing the origins and trajectories of both Chipotle and Freebirds provides answers on which Mexican fast casual chain came first and how each influenced the other over time. The timeline shows:
- Freebirds founded in 1987, launching Tex-Mex fast casual model
- Chipotle then founded in 1993, bringing similar model to wider audience
- Chipotle fueled by investment to achieve much greater size and expansion starting in late 1990s
- Freebirds focused on steady regional growth, eventually taking inspiration from some Chipotle innovations
- Both chains now established leaders in respective markets, benefiting from shared innovations
So while Freebirds pioneered key elements of the model, Chipotle benefited from coming shortly after to build at larger scale. The two chains now progress side-by-side while continuing to learn best practices from each other along the way.