Chipotle on Easton Avenue to Open Later This Week

— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs

The Chipotle Mexican Grill in Bethlehem will open later this week, according to “a person close to the operations who requested anonymity to discuss private information,” as some media likes to put it.

The latest plan was to open Friday. Meanwhile, the restaurant at 2555 Easton Ave., formerly the site of a Wells Fargo bank, is hiring.

It’s near a KFC, Taco Bell, and newly opened Starbucks in the strip mall featuring CVS and Big Woody’s. Across the road on Stefko Boulevard, there are Burger King, McDonald’s, Wendy’s and other fast-food options.

Last year, just as an aside, Chipotle Mexican Grill Chief Executive Brian Niccol left to take over at Starbucks. He also worked at Taco Bell earlier in his career and Pizza Hut, giving him a broad fast-food background. Under Niccol, Starbucks is seeking to make its menu more simple.

Chipotle does not include the Bethlehem store yet on its list of locations. The chain’s menu include burritos, tacoes, quesadillas, salads and more. Chipotle was founded in 1993, and how has a market capitalization of almost twice that of Ford Motor Co.

Chipotle (NYSE:CMG) is based in Newport Beach, California. It operates about 3,600 restaurants in the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Kuwait. Chipotle owns and operates all of its restaurants in North America and Europe. The chain does not sell franchises.

Chipotle shares traded at $58.35 at the close on Friday. At that price, the restaurant chain has a market capitalization of $79.5 billion. Ford’s market capitalization is $40 billion.