New Jersey regulators found more than 30,000 child labor violations at Chipotle locations and reached a $7.75 million settlement in 2022. Seattle separately reached a nearly $2.9 million settlement in 2024, the largest in the city's Secure Scheduling Ordinance history, after finding the company retaliated against workers for declining last-minute shifts and miscalculated paid sick time.

Why are people boycotting Chipotle?

The most common reason is Chipotle's treatment of its own unionized workers. The NLRB found the company unlawfully denied raises to organized employees at its Lansing, Michigan location in 2024, after already paying $240,000 in 2023 to settle claims it closed a unionized Augusta, Maine store to defeat the union drive there.

What are the best ethical alternatives to Chipotle?

Sweetgreen is a salad chain focused on local, organic ingredients and sustainable practices. Local taquerias near you often use fresher ingredients and pay fairer wages than a national chain. Cooking at home is the most affordable and ethical option of all.

Chipotle

Flagged · Avoid

A fast-casual chain often recommended elsewhere as a more ethical alternative to other fast food brands, with its own record of child labor violations, wage theft settlements, and NLRB findings that it retaliated against unionizing workers.

Last updated September 28, 2026

Reasons to avoid

Issues span:Labor

The NLRB found in August 2024 that Chipotle unlawfully told unionized workers at its Lansing, Michigan location that they could not receive raises given to other employees because they had organized a union. It was not the company's first labor board finding tied to unionization, after Chipotle paid $240,000 in 2023 to settle claims that it closed an Augusta, Maine store specifically to defeat a unionization drive there.cbsnews.com2024-08-26
Seattle's Office of Labor Standards reached a nearly $2.9 million settlement with Chipotle in April 2024, the largest Secure Scheduling Ordinance settlement in the city's history, covering 1,853 workers at eight locations. The city found Chipotle retaliated against employees for declining last-minute shift changes, miscalculated paid sick time accrual, and lacked a compliant written scheduling policy.seattle.gov2024-04-11
New Jersey's Department of Labor and Attorney General's office announced a $7.75 million settlement with Chipotle in September 2022 covering more than 30,000 child labor violations at 85 New Jersey locations. The violations included minors working past legal hour limits and without required meal breaks.nj.gov2022-09-20

Ethical alternatives

Fast Casual

Sweetgreen

Salad chain focused on local, organic ingredients and sustainable practices.

🌿 Organic♻️ Sustainable📍 Local Business

Visit →

Local

Local Taquerias

Support independent Mexican restaurants that often use fresher ingredients and pay fair wages.

📍 Local Business

DIY

Cook at Home

Save money and eat healthier by preparing meals at home. Find easy, affordable recipes.

♻️ Sustainable🌿 Natural

Visit →

Common Questions

Is Chipotle ethical?: New Jersey regulators found more than 30,000 child labor violations at Chipotle locations and reached a $7.75 million settlement in 2022. Seattle separately reached a nearly $2.9 million settlement in 2024, the largest in the city's Secure Scheduling Ordinance history, after finding the company retaliated against workers for declining last-minute shifts and miscalculated paid sick time.
Why are people boycotting Chipotle?: The most common reason is Chipotle's treatment of its own unionized workers. The NLRB found the company unlawfully denied raises to organized employees at its Lansing, Michigan location in 2024, after already paying $240,000 in 2023 to settle claims it closed a unionized Augusta, Maine store to defeat the union drive there.
What are the best ethical alternatives to Chipotle?: Sweetgreen is a salad chain focused on local, organic ingredients and sustainable practices. Local taquerias near you often use fresher ingredients and pay fairer wages than a national chain. Cooking at home is the most affordable and ethical option of all.