Chipotle restaurant exterior and parking lot.

Why Chipotle Isn’t In Hawaii Or Alaska

NEWS

By ALICIA BETZ

A Chipotle cup.
While it isn’t entirely clear why there are no Chipotle restaurants in Hawaii and Alaska, their absence from the two states likely has to do with factors like ingredients and cost.
Tractor trailer on a snowy road.
Since Chipotle uses fresh ingredients daily, avoiding freezers and can openers, it poses logistical challenges and higher costs for remote locations like Hawaii and Alaska.
A chipotle receipt near a burrito.
Another compounding factor is the lower population. When you take an expensive distribution process and combine it with a small number of customers, it makes no financial sense.
A group of people dining out at a restaurant.
However, despite Alaska’s lowest population density among U.S. states and Hawaii’s comparatively low total population, other chains have managed to operate in these locations.
McDonald's logo stickers on a glass window.
So while you may not find a Chipotle in these remote locations, you’ll definitely be able to spot popular chains like McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Domino’s Pizza.