How To Get A Free Chipotle Burrito After Nationwide Closing For Safety Call

By MARC TORRENCE (Patch National Staff)

Chipotle stores will temporarily close today -- Monday -- for a company-wide call about food safety, after hundreds of customers across the country have been sickened with E. coli and norovirus linked to the popular burrito chain.

The company’s executives said they would take extra steps to ensure that Chipotle’s food was safe to eat, including ingredients testing and vegetable blanching.

“We’ve come together today to make sure Chipotle is not just the most delicious place to eat, but also the safest,” the company’s founder, Steve Ells, said on the call, which was partially live-tweeted by the Chipotle Twitter account.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared the E. coli outbreak linked to Chipotle over.

The stores are scheduled to reopen at 3 p.m. in each time zone following the call.

Chipotle wants to make it up to customers who may miss their afternoon burrito because of the closing.

The company set up a web page with instructions on how to get a free Chipotle burrito.

“If we messed up your lunch plans today, follow the steps and we’ll hook you up,” the website says.

Fine print on the page says, “Quantities are limited and offer is first come, first served, subject to availability.”

The website says to text “RAINCHECK” to 888-222. After users text, they are sent a link to another web page to confirm the request.

“Many thanks,” the next page says. “We’ll text you your free burrito in the next few days. Well, not literally a burrito, but a coupon you can exchange for one.”

• Click here to see how to see the full instructions for a free burrito.

• To find the nearest Chipotle, follow this link and click on “locations.”

Image: Chipotle website screenshot.