Innovation

Innovation doesn’t always demand a revolutionary concept; sometimes, simplicity prevails. Chipotle introduced the Chicken al Pastor as a limited-time offer in the spring of 2023, captivating the taste buds of its customer base. A quarter of Chipotle buyers actively participated during the offer period. The Chicken al Pastor not only engaged existing buyers but also drove those buyers to spend more compared to their previous visits.

These were some of the key performance highlights:

  • Chicken al Pastor had above-average participation, with one-quarter of Chipotle buyers trying the item during the offer period.
  • The Chicken al Pastor helped boost party check among existing buyers. Although the item was priced about 7% higher than the regular chicken offering, over two-thirds of buyers said they considered the item very or fairly good value for the price.
  • The item helped steal competitive dollars from several fast casual brands, and almost 80% of Chicken al Pastor buyers plan to visit Chipotle more often after purchasing the item.

Understanding the consumer mindset and impact of LTOs can allow operators and their manufacturer partners to collaborate in building stronger promotions. Get the latest business-building insights in Circana’s new report, The Evolving Role of the LTO.

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