Here's Why Our Del Mar, Area Chipotles Will Be Closed Feb. 8

By MARC TORRENCE (Patch National Staff)

Chipotle will temporarily close stores on Feb. 8 for a company-wide meeting about food safety, according to multiple reports, after outbreaks of E. coli and norovirus at locations across the country have sickened hundreds of customers and led to a criminal investigation.

The popular burrito chain’s stores will be closed “for a few hours” on that Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Patch reached out to Chipotle for more information, including what hours the stores will be closed.

Illnesses linked to Chipotle food have been reported in the Pacific Northwest and across the Northeast, including in Maryland, New York and New Jersey. At least 140 people, nearly all Boston College students,fell ill with norovirus in December after eating at a Chipotle near campus.

Chipotle received a subpoena related to illnesses at a location in Simi Valley, California.

The closing announcement was made at an investor conference this month in Florida, where the company’s founder and co-Chief Executive Steve Ells said that nobody has gotten sick from E. coli at Chipotle since November, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“I’m confident we’ll recover from this and win back our customers,” he reportedly said.

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