Love Guacs: This Valentine's Day Chipotle Celebrates Real Love Fueled By Real Ingredients

Chipotle's serving up a side of love this Valentine's Day by celebrating its favorite fan love stories, including athlete power couple, football champ Zach Ertz and soccer superstar Julie Ertz

News provided by

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Feb 12, 2018, 05:00 ET

DENVER, Feb. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In the spirit of love this Valentine's Day, Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) is celebrating couples united by their love of burritos (and tacos, bowls and salads). From unexpected lunchtime dates to celebrity athlete first dates and even wedding celebrations, Chipotle has been an important backdrop to ever-lasting love stories.

The MVPs | Julie & Zach | “We met at a college baseball game – super fitting for two athletes – in the spring, but didn’t start dating until the winter. Our first date was Chipotle! Zach’s favorite food is my home-made tacos, but we’ve found there’s no better bonding experience than over a burrito bowl. We are still big Chipotle fans and love to grab meals together where it all began!”

The Burrito Baby | Sarah, Mark, Caleb & Jake | “My husband knew early on of my love for Chipotle. Countless dates there, through dating and marriage. Then during my second pregnancy it was ALL I craved. He knows my order by heart, which is obviously the mark of true love. When our son celebrated his first birthday we HAD to have a Chipotle smash instead of a cake smash! Complete with the best onesie from the website. Our little burrito babe!”

The Burrito Bribers | Amber & Chris | “Chris and I met the summer of 2013, and we both were huge fans of Chipotle. We eat at a Chipotle in Kansas City before Comic-Con every year. Six months after our wedding, which Chipotle catered, we moved into our first house and used Chipotle as a bribe to get a group together to help us move. Of course, it worked, and we had an army there to help us get out of our apartment and into the house in less than four hours.”

The Cat’s Meow | Ian & Chipotle (the cat) | ”I love Chipotle and visit often, but a trip last October was my most special. I heard a quiet ‘meow’ from under my car while leaving. I found a kitten looking up at me. I put him in my car and went home – he even ate the chicken from the burrito I'd just ordered. It was love at first Chipotle. So naturally next came the naming process, and I couldn’t think of a better name for my new love than one of my old loves, and Chipotle the cat was named.”

The Kissing Couple | Natalie & Andrew | “Andrew and I had our first ‘casual’ date over lunch at Chipotle. We met in the middle of a work day, and he leaned over to kiss me. I immediately said, ‘Did we just kiss at a Chipotle?’ Now, every time we go to Chipotle, we kiss, and I say, ‘Did we just kiss at a Chipotle?’ We’re getting married this year, and since it’s part of our story we’d love to have Chipotle-themed wedding!”

The Precious Cargo Carriers | Michael & Amy | “Amy and I fell in love with each other over Chipotle. When stationed in Hawaii, she would fly a bowl to me when visiting since there were no locations on the island (three years of torture). When stationed in Pensacola, we drove four hours to Montgomery since we loved it so much. Chipotle is so ingrained in our lives and history that we had to eat there on our wedding day. Thanks for always being there, Chipotle.”

The Love Doctors | Ally & Jon | “I set out one Halloween as the best version of myself I could possibly think of; I was a Chipotle burrito. Turns out I wasn’t the only person who loved burritos, because my costume caught Jon’s interest. Four years later, we have grown and changed together. We graduated college, earned White Coats, and started on a journey to a new city. One thing has remained constant – love. Love for each other, for this life, and for Chipotle burritos.”

The Long Distance Loves | Brittany & Jesse | “Jesse and I are in a long distance relationship, and, while I live near a Chipotle in Maryland, he lives near ABSOLUTELY NONE in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. When we finally met in person, I took him to Chipotle! He loved it, and we had it every day until he went home. I suffer without Chipotle when visiting him, but I’ve asked the mayor of Red Deer when Chipotle is coming to town. Chipotle is loved all over and by us even when we're 2000 miles apart!”

The Double Degree Daters | Courtney & Jared | “Jared and I met the first week of college. I had never tried Chipotle before, but Jared was/is a BIG fan and weekly customer. Once we started dating, he took me to Chipotle for the first time. If I liked Chipotle too, he knew I was a keeper! Luckily, the Chipotle love is mutual. We went every week in college. We’re long distance right now while I finish my graduate degree, but when together, we always make sure to get our Chipotle fix!”

The Burrito Betrothed | Aaron & Jennifer | “Jennifer and I have been die hard Chipotle fans for a really long time. Our first meal together was Chipotle, every weekend we ate Chipotle, we snuck Chipotle into movies and never got sick of it! We love Chipotle so much that we even featured a burrito in our engagement photos, Lady and the Tramp style. Chipotle was a big part of our relationship and still is!”

The Train Twosome | Juju & Brendan | “I was famished and grabbed some Chipotle for the train ride home. I dug in until a guy sat down next to me, fully expecting him to have a problem with my eating. Not even close! The guy suavely complimented my order, ‘Guac on your burrito bowl was a solid move.’ It was love at first bite. We talked, exchanged numbers and have been dating for 2.5 years! Chipotle is how we celebrate the good time, and a failsafe pick me up during the bad times.”

The Party of Four (Soon to Be More) | Julie & Clint | “Flash back to eight years ago when I was a poor college student and had a free burrito coupon, so of course I went to Chipotle. There was a guy who sat at a nearby table on the outside patio. We started chatting, and then he noticed I had an Ohio State cheerleading t-shirt on (he's a Buckeye fan). We have since had two kids – another on the way – and are very thankful to have found love at Chipotle!”

The First Daters | Kristy & Trent | “Our first date was ten years ago at Chipotle. We had a long distance relationship for the first few years, and I loved Chipotle but didn't have one in my city at the time, so Trent and I would always go when I was in town. Our love grew with every Chipotle visit! At our wedding, we had a Chipotle-themed menu, and it's still our go-to for an easy date night with two little burritos of our own now!”

The Ring Pop Proposal | Marivel & Jonathan | “It wouldn’t surprise anyone to know I met the love of my life at Chipotle. While grabbing a quick lunch one day, I saw Jonathan, and we started talking. We ended up back at Chipotle for our second date, and he memorized my order and jokingly proposed with a ring pop. A year later, he proposed with a real ring. We plan on celebrating our second anniversary with Chipotle in March, and we’ll say ‘I do’ in July.”

The Wedding Snackers | Lanita & Nate | “Our first stop after saying ‘I do!’ was Chipotle! After hearing that many couples don’t get a chance to eat at their wedding receptions, we knew it was a MUST to stop at Chipotle between our reception and ceremony. We ordered our usual bride and groom bowls ahead of time on the app, and walked into the store with our entire wedding party. This was the same Chipotle where I’d spill the deets of my relationship with my now-husband to my MOH over lunch!”

"It's natural people form a bond when they share a common passion. And, we've seen that come to life through the amazing love stories shared with us over the years," said Chris Arnold, communications director at Chipotle. "This year, in the month when people celebrate or are looking for love, it's fun to show a little love back to those who have connected over their love of our food."

Zach and Julie Ertz: 'Til Guac Do Us Part
Back in college, when Philadelphia tight end Zach and U.S. Women's National Soccer team defender Julie were on the fast-track to their athletic careers, Zach took Julie to Chipotle on their first date. Because, as we all know, there's no bond stronger than a burrito. Fast forward to today, when Julie doesn't have time to make Zach's favorite tacos, the U.S. Female Soccer Player of the Year and football champion head to Chipotle for their favorite food to fuel up for big games.

Inspired by this and other Chipotle-themed love stories like Zach and Julie's, Chipotle went to the masses to uncover real-life love stories.

Here is a snapshot of a few more love stories:

The Burrito Baby, Sarah, Mark, Caleb and Jake: Mark has always known of Sarah's love for Chipotle and knows her order by heart. During Sarah's pregnancy, it was all she craved and Mark was always there to deliver. When their son Jake celebrated his first birthday they had a Chipotle burrito smash instead of a cake smash, complete with Jake bundled up in a Chipotle onesie.

The Burrito Bribers, Amber and Chris: Both huge fans of Chipotle, Amber and Chris had the restaurant cater their wedding! Six months later, they moved into their first house and used Chipotle as a bribe to get a group together to help them move. Of course, it worked, and they had an army of friends and family to help get out of their apartment and into their new house in less than four hours.

An Unlikely Duo, Ian and Chipotle the Cat: A huge Chipotle fan and frequent customer, Ian was walking out of his local Chipotle in Texas when he heard a quiet meow under his car and discovered a kitten. Ian adopted the kitten and couldn't think of a better name for his new love than one of his existing loves: Chipotle.

Looking for another way to channel all that love? Chipotle is also inviting fans to express their Chipotle love in a Haiku Contest happening Feb. 11-12. Fans who comment a haiku on Chipotle's Facebook or Instagram post, or reply to their tweet on Twitter, will have a chance to win free burritos for a year and be #Chipotlebae for the day. The haiku with the most likes on Facebook and Instagram and the most retweets on Twitter wins. The contest is two days only, so get ready to make the internet swoon. Details and rules are available at chipotle.com/chipotbaecontest.

ABOUT CHIPOTLE
Steve Ells, founder, chairman and CEO, started Chipotle with the idea that food served fast did not have to be a typical fast food experience. Today, Chipotle continues to offer a focused menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, and salads made from fresh, high-quality raw ingredients, prepared using classic cooking methods and served in an interactive style allowing people to get exactly what they want. Chipotle seeks out extraordinary ingredients that are not only fresh, but that are raised responsibly, with respect for the animals, land, and people who produce them. Chipotle prepares its food using real, whole ingredients, and is the only national restaurant brand that prepares its food using no added colors, flavors or other industrial additives typically found in fast food. Chipotle opened with a single restaurant in Denver in 1993 and now operates more than 2,400 restaurants. For more information, visit chipotle.com.

Contact: Quinn Kelsey
303.222.5948
[email protected]

SOURCE Chipotle Mexican Grill