More than 70 Chipotle restaurants across Arizona will be closed during lunch today. They’ll join nearly 2,000 other Chipotle’s across the country for an all-employee meeting.
The company will update workers on new food safety programs and share information on what may have caused some customers to become sick. The restaurants are expected to reopen Monday at 3 p.m.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Chipotle restaurants were likely the source of two outbreaks that sickened 60 people in 14 states.
In a letter to investors, Chipotle outlined its enhanced food safety programs which include:
- High-resolution DNA-based testing designed to ensure the quality and safety of many ingredients before they are shipped to restaurants.
- Changes to food prep and food handling practices.
- Enhanced internal training to ensure that all employees thoroughly understand the company’s standards.
- Paid sick leave helping to ensure that ill employees have no incentive to work while ill.
