Chipotle
Cultivating brand. Connecting with culture.
The work
In 2018, Chipotle was at an important inflection point. In the 12 years since reclaiming its independence, the brand had grown significantly. But leadership recognized that—despite their momentum—it was time to reconnect. To culture. To values. To a new generation of consumers who needed a different kind of invitation into the brand.
Zeus Jones has been a partner in that journey for the past seven years. We helped Chipotle find its center—and build from it. We clarified the brand’s beliefs, codified and contextualized its purpose, and created the systems to carry it forward. Then we brought those foundations to life—through brand design, in-store experience, platform innovation, and internal inspiration.
The result is a brand story that’s multi-layered and multi-sensory. One that connects strategy to experience, and sets the stage for what’s next.
Our roles
- Brand Strategy
- Brand Identity
- Design Systems
- Audience Research and Segmentation
- Cultural Foresight
- Experience Design
- Packaging Design
- Internal Capability-Building
The Opportunity
Rediscovering why the brand matters—then, now, and in the future.
After years of growth, the brand’s meaning had become muddied—understood internally, but not always clearly expressed externally. We saw an opportunity to take the purpose that had always guided the company—cultivating a better world—and rebuild it into something more actionable, more resonant, and more connected to the culture of today.
We answered the question of how to stay true to Chipotle's roots while making space for growth by clarifying what "cultivate a better world" means to a new generation, codifying the beliefs and behaviors that support it, identifying the audiences who would drive the next era, and aligning teams around a brand system built to scale and inspire.
Through a combination of brand strategy, cultural insight, and long-range planning, we helped Chipotle rediscover what made the brand meaningful—and reimagine how that meaning shows up in the world.
Our Approach
Ambitious actions, inspiring experiences.
The strategic foundations we built didn’t just clarify who the brand was—they helped unlock a new ambition. With a renewed sense of purpose and a sharper cultural focus, we created the conditions for Chipotle and its partners to bring those ambitions to life through bold, visible expressions of the brand.
In-store design systems
From signage and menus to murals and materials, we refreshed the brand’s visual language to reflect both simplicity and substance. Every choice—every color, word, and surface—was designed to express the care, craft, and culture behind the food.
Chipotle Goods
What began with designing team uniforms grew into a fully realized, sustainably made fashion line. We named it, branded it, and developed the concept from the ground up—garnering attention from Vogue Magazine and social influencers in the process.
Chipotle Rewards
We branded and helped launch Chipotle Rewards—the fastest growing rewards program in the category at its inception. From language to design, we worked to make every interaction feel like a meaningful extension of the brand.
Digital Kitchen
As dining habits shifted, we helped define and brand a new restaurant experience built entirely around mobile ordering and pickup. From naming and concept to signage and storytelling, the Digital Kitchen reimagined how the brand could meet people where they are.
Cultivate Center
We helped design the Cultivate Center to be a home for brand learning, experimentation, and alignment. It became a physical embodiment of Chipotle’s values—a place where employees, partners, and leadership could connect to the work, and to each other.
“Our work with Chipotle is a testament to the power of collaboration, with two teams working as one to build something bigger than either could alone.”
Brad Surcey, Design Director and Partner at Zeus Jones
The Outcome
Growth and connection.
Over the last seven years, Chipotle has become one of the most culturally relevant and financially successful brands in fast-casual dining—not by chasing trends, but by doubling down on what makes it matter.
Since 2018, Chipotle has grown its annual revenue from $4.9B to $9.9B, expanded its rewards program to more than 40 million members, and secured its place as one of Gen Z’s favorite restaurant brands, driven by its digital fluency, cultural relevance, and commitment to fresh, customizable food.
Throughout this journey, Zeus Jones has helped Chipotle grow into a modern cultural icon by cultivating the core of the brand and bringing it to life in ways that connect with people today.
Our team
Alex Gaterud
Alexis Jones
Bernadette Fox
Brad Surcey
Dave MacDonald
Elsa Perushek
Ilana Horwitz
Jordana Rothman
Josh Dick
Megan Reilly
Morgan Hay-Chapman
Sara Ritten
Sarah Youngquist
Our partners
Loomstate 👕
Anthem Branding 🧢
FlowState Branding 👖
Josie Portillo 🎨
Lan Truong 🖌️
