Chipotle-craving Athens residents can snag a free burrito Thursday at the opening of the restaurant's long-awaited Athens location.
Anyone who goes to Chipotle Mexican Grill this Thursday will receive a free burrito and soft drink between 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Its official opening will be on Friday, and the restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily thereafter.
Ohio University students have made more requests for a Chipotle in Athens than at any other university in the past five years, said Crickett Karson, public relations representative.
Ohio University seems to have an affinity for a good burrito
Karson said.
The record for the number of free burritos given out was set at the University of California, Los Angeles's Chipotle opening, which gave away almost 5,000 burritos on its free burrito day, Karson said.
Although Chipotle faces competition from the Burrito Buggy and Big Mamma's Burritos, Karson said that Chipotle never enters a market planning to put anyone out of business.
It's a different kind of animal Karson said.
Chipotle is run by a chef and uses more natural meat than any other restaurant ' 52 million pounds of meat this year ' according to the news release. The business's cows, pigs and chickens live in humane conditions and are never given antibiotics or growth hormones, according to a Chipotle news release.
Most meals on the menu cost $6, making it an affordable place to eat, said Jenna Simenic, Midwest region publicist. Whether it's an Athens resident or a student they can find something that they can enjoy
she said.
The Athens Chipotle also plans to coordinate local charity fundraisers, Simenic said. For these fundraisers, Chipotle chooses a time, usually from 5 to 8 p.m., to sell any product for $5 and gives all of the proceeds to a specified cause, Simenic said.
There are more than 700 Chipotle restaurants, according to the news release. Managers for the local restaurant declined to comment.
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Caitlin McGlade
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People pass by the Chipotle store front on Court Street yesterday. The store will celebrate its grand opening Friday with a free burrito day on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
