(NewsNation) — Popular burrito and bowl chain Chipotle is telling employees to stop putting chicken on their own meals amid surging customer demand, Bloomberg reported Thursday.
The request comes after the return of Chicken al Pastor, which has been a hit with customers but also created supply challenges, according to a company email sent to employees which Bloomberg viewed.
Store managers were reportedly told not to order their personal meals with chicken or Chicken al Pastor and to ask other staff to do the same.
The guidance also applied to white-collar staff at Chipotle offices, who were told they “should not” order chicken for themselves and informed them that the popular option wouldn’t be included in their free Monday lunches, Bloomberg said.
The message, sent out last week, said the changes would be effective immediately and last until further notice to “preserve our supply of Adobo Chicken for our guests.”
The policy has already upset some employees who told the news outlet managers have threatened to discipline workers who get chicken during their lunch breaks. In some cases, managers have even thrown out employees’ chicken meals, according to workers at Chipotle’s only unionized U.S. store in Michigan.
In an email to Bloomberg, Chipotle said the email was a request, not a mandate, and the situation should be resolved within a week.
During the company’s quarterly earnings call Wednesday, executives highlighted the success of Chicken al Pastor, calling it one of the most requested new menu items.
Data from Placer.ai showed that Chipotle visits surged 10% in the first quarter compared to the year prior, outpacing the 4% growth across the fast-casual segment.
