--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first Chipotle was intended to be my…" description: "\"The first Chipotle was intended to be my source of funding for a full-scale restaurant, a means to an end. But it turned out to be more successful than..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc5/steve-ells-9755_chipotle_the-first-chipotle-was-intended-to-be-my_925592.png" --- # The first Chipotle was intended to be my source of funding… ![“The first Chipotle was intended to be my source of funding for a full-scale restaurant, a means to an end. But it turned out to be more successful than I ever imagined.” quote by Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc5/steve-ells-9755_chipotle_the-first-chipotle-was-intended-to-be-my_925592.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc5/steve-ells-9755_chipotle_the-first-chipotle-was-intended-to-be-my_925592.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc5/steve-ells-9755_chipotle_the-first-chipotle-was-intended-to-be-my_925592.png) > “The first Chipotle was intended to be my source of funding for a full-scale restaurant, a means to an end. But it turned out to be more successful than I ever imagined.” [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A small funding idea grew into an unexpectedly huge success, surpassing original expectations. **In simple terms:** A modest plan became a big success. Key Takeaway Expect the unexpected in ventures. Themes entrepreneurship growth unexpected success Mood optimistic pragmatic Type business motivational When to use this quote - startup planning - investment decisions - brand expansion Key Concepts business strategy scaling vision Questions to Reflect On - How will you adapt when a project exceeds its initial scope? - What safeguards help manage rapid growth? A Different Perspective Success can outpace original resources and planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Restaurant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restaurant/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) ## Related quotes > [After I left 'Laverne & Shirley,' I got a ton of offers to play the goofy guy next door, and there were a couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mckean/after-i-left-laverne-shirley-i-got-a-ton-of-offers-to-play-the-goofy/) [Michael McKean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mckean/) > [We shot many films in Delhi that turned out to be successful at the box office. So the attachment is definitely on the positive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anushka-sharma/we-shot-many-films-in-delhi-that-turned-out-to-be-successful-at-the/) [Anushka Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anushka-sharma/) > [If we really want to change the way Americans eat, we need to make delicious, sustainably-raised food accessible to everyone. Most people are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/if-we-really-want-to-change-the-way-americans-eat-we-need-to-make/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [For too long, great food has really only been available in high-end restaurants and specialty food markets, but Chipotle is making the same gourmet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/for-too-long-great-food-has-really-only-been-available-in-high-end/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [We decided long ago that we didn't want Chipotle's success to be tied to the exploitation of animals, farmers, or the environment, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-decided-long-ago-that-we-didn-t-want-chipotle-s-success-to-be-tied/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [Having never taken a business class, the economics of restaurants scared me. I opened Chipotle with the idea that I could step away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/having-never-taken-a-business-class-the-economics-of-restaurants/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [Chipotle is based on a very simple idea: We start with great ingredients, prepare them using classic cooking techniques, and serve them in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/chipotle-is-based-on-a-very-simple-idea-we-start-with-great/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [When I created Chipotle in 1993, I had a very simple idea: Offer a simple menu of great food prepared fresh each day, using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/when-i-created-chipotle-in-1993-i-had-a-very-simple-idea-offer-a/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [The idea for Chipotle is a sort of combination of food borrowed from Stars and sort of a technique and a service format borrowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/the-idea-for-chipotle-is-a-sort-of-combination-of-food-borrowed-from/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [We can teach people how to run a Chipotle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-can-teach-people-how-to-run-a-chipotle/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [I started Chipotle with the idea to create an experience that's fast - and not fast food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/i-started-chipotle-with-the-idea-to-create-an-experience-that-s-fast/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [We can assure you today that there is no E. coli in Chipotle. We have thoroughly tested our food, we have thoroughly tested our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-can-assure-you-today-that-there-is-no-e-coli-in-chipotle-we-have/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [Chipotle is really showing that there's a better way to do fast food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/chipotle-is-really-showing-that-there-s-a-better-way-to-do-fast-food/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [One of the pivotal moments for me was realizing that our 'food with integrity' approach at Chipotle was satisfying my passion. That's about bringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/one-of-the-pivotal-moments-for-me-was-realizing-that-our-food-with/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [Chipotle was going to incorporate all the things I had learned at the Culinary Institute and Stars and really elevate typical fast food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/chipotle-was-going-to-incorporate-all-the-things-i-had-learned-at-the/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) ## More by Steve Ells > [You know, I hate to borrow Apple's tag, but think different. Really. From the very beginning. I didn't know what the fast-food rules were.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/you-know-i-hate-to-borrow-apple-s-tag-but-think-different-really-from/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [The economic model was formed by the constraints that I had: a small space, relatively inexpensive building materials, relatively inexpensive investment, a very efficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/the-economic-model-was-formed-by-the-constraints-that-i-had-a-small/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [When I started on the very first day with just one restaurant, we used to pick oregano off the stems and chop them. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/when-i-started-on-the-very-first-day-with-just-one-restaurant-we-used/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [We have two day-parts, lunch and dinner. We don't have breakfast. We don't have drive-thru. We don't have late night. We don't have 24-hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-have-two-day-parts-lunch-and-dinner-we-don-t-have-breakfast-we-don/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [If we really want to change the way Americans eat, we need to make delicious, sustainably-raised food accessible to everyone. Most people are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/if-we-really-want-to-change-the-way-americans-eat-we-need-to-make/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [Our investors are here for only one reason: great returns. They want to make money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/our-investors-are-here-for-only-one-reason-great-returns-they-want-to/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [One of the pivotal moments for me was realizing that our 'food with integrity' approach at Chipotle was satisfying my passion. That's about bringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/one-of-the-pivotal-moments-for-me-was-realizing-that-our-food-with/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [When our folks focus on exactly what is needed to succeed in the restaurants, they should be able to lead themselves to restaurateur level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/when-our-folks-focus-on-exactly-what-is-needed-to-succeed-in-the/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [I'm very much looking forward to relentlessly focusing on ensuring an excellent guest experience, removing unnecessary complexity from our operations, championing innovation, and pursuing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/i-m-very-much-looking-forward-to-relentlessly-focusing-on-ensuring-an/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [When our employees walk in in the morning, they see food. They have to cook. At the restaurants, we chop cilantro, onions, and limes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/when-our-employees-walk-in-in-the-morning-they-see-food-they-have-to/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [We want to show all of our customers that the industry standards that we had been employing before - which are considered great standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-want-to-show-all-of-our-customers-that-the-industry-standards-that/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [The earliest recollection I have of being in the kitchen and cooking was in the third grade, and we lived in Germany. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/the-earliest-recollection-i-have-of-being-in-the-kitchen-and-cooking/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [We aspire to make artisanal tortillas on an industrial scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-aspire-to-make-artisanal-tortillas-on-an-industrial-scale/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [We have a terrific team, and our managers are terrific managers, but we have made it too complicated for them and too complicated in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-have-a-terrific-team-and-our-managers-are-terrific-managers-but-we/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [If food is processed - like canned or frozen - you can reduce the risks of pathogens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/if-food-is-processed-like-canned-or-frozen-you-can-reduce-the-risks/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) [Explore all 70 Steve Ells quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) ## More Chipotle quotes > [I'm the voice of a Chipotle Burrito. The world has changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/i-m-the-voice-of-a-chipotle-burrito-the-world-has-changed/) [Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/) > [I can eat Chipotle all day long for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennon-parham/i-can-eat-chipotle-all-day-long-for-years/) [Lennon Parham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennon-parham/) > [I like to eat and Chipotle will fill you up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-sock/i-like-to-eat-and-chipotle-will-fill-you-up/) [Jack Sock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-sock/) > [I don't need a boyfriend. I have chipotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria/i-don-t-need-a-boyfriend-i-have-chipotle/) Victoria > [If we really want to change the way Americans eat, we need to make delicious, sustainably-raised food accessible to everyone. Most people are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/if-we-really-want-to-change-the-way-americans-eat-we-need-to-make/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [One of the pivotal moments for me was realizing that our 'food with integrity' approach at Chipotle was satisfying my passion. That's about bringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/one-of-the-pivotal-moments-for-me-was-realizing-that-our-food-with/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [I love Chipotle. And I'm not just saying that. Like, I genuinely am in love with Chipotle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-kim/i-love-chipotle-and-i-m-not-just-saying-that-like-i-genuinely-am-in/) [Chloe Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-kim/) > [I think it is true that you can eat extremely healthy food at McDonald's, and you can eat amazingly badly at Chipotle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-specter/i-think-it-is-true-that-you-can-eat-extremely-healthy-food-at/) [Michael Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-specter/) > [I never tell the cashier at chipotle I got extra meat, thug life!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-never-tell-the-cashier-at-chipotle-i-got-extra-meat-thug-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't be a jerk. Try to love everyone. Give more than you take. And do it despite the fact that you only really like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/don-t-be-a-jerk-try-to-love-everyone-give-more-than-you-take-and-do/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [There's a place called Chipotle in the U.S. It's Mexican food where everything is made to order; you can get some rice, black beans,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesaro/there-s-a-place-called-chipotle-in-the-u-s-it-s-mexican-food-where/) [Cesaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesaro/) > [If you don't know my name and you don't know what movie I'm from, don't come ask for a picture while I'm trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ansel-elgort/if-you-don-t-know-my-name-and-you-don-t-know-what-movie-i-m-from-don/) [Ansel Elgort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ansel-elgort/) > [Hillary went to a Chipotle in a tortilla pantsuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/hillary-went-to-a-chipotle-in-a-tortilla-pantsuit/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Chipotle is really showing that there's a better way to do fast food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/chipotle-is-really-showing-that-there-s-a-better-way-to-do-fast-food/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [Behind Chipotle is not a corporation; behind Chipotle is a man that is one of the great cooks, that created a great concept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/behind-chipotle-is-not-a-corporation-behind-chipotle-is-a-man-that-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 41 Chipotle quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first Chipotle was intended to be my source of funding for a full-scale restaurant, a means to an end. But it turned out to be more successful than I ever imagined.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steve Ells" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/the-first-chipotle-was-intended-to-be-my-source-of-funding-for-a-full/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chipotle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/the-first-chipotle-was-intended-to-be-my-source-of-funding-for-a-full/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc5/steve-ells-9755_chipotle_the-first-chipotle-was-intended-to-be-my_925592.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc5/steve-ells-9755_chipotle_the-first-chipotle-was-intended-to-be-my_925592.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc5/steve-ells-9755_chipotle_the-first-chipotle-was-intended-to-be-my_925592.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first Chipotle was intended to be my source of funding for a full-scale restaurant, a means to an end…” — Steve Ells", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Steve Ells", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first Chipotle was intended to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/the-first-chipotle-was-intended-to-be-my-source-of-funding-for-a-full/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/the-first-chipotle-was-intended-to-be-my-source-of-funding-for-a-full/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```