---
title: "Guac Is Extra, But Education Is Free: Chipotle Offers Tuition Coverage for Hourly Employees"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/940867fa-bbf0-44a7-a93f-be8211d8c5a0
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/guac-is-extra-but-education-is-free-chipotle-offers-tuition-coverage-for-hourly-employees-2711313
category: "Mexican"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Mexican"
topics: ["Operations"]
published: 2019-10-15T16:11:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:31:41.170Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/2ca2151d78e8918dd5f282ceb335af794988.jpg
---

# Guac Is Extra, But Education Is Free: Chipotle Offers Tuition Coverage for Hourly Employees

**TL;DR:** Chipotle is offering tuition coverage for hourly employees to address the talent crisis in the restaurant industry. The brand is covering 100% of tuition costs up front for 75 different types of business and technology degrees via partner Guild Education.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2019-10-15. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/guac-is-extra-but-education-is-free-chipotle-offers-tuition-coverage-for-hourly-employees-2711313).*

## Story

**Franchise brands, especially in the restaurant industry, are feeling the pressure when it comes to retaining reliable employees. While some industry leaders have** **voiced concerns** **when it comes to footing the bill for increases to minimum wages and benefits, Chipotle** **and other brands** **are tackling the talent crisis head-on by doing just that. Chipotle crew members are now eligible for** **increased incentives** **and a suite of benefits similar to those typically reserved for salaried employees or those at the management level.**

**QSR Magazine reported that the latest of these incentives includes coverage of 100% of tuition costs up front for 75 different types of business and technology degrees via partner** **Guild Education.**

**After 120 days, employees are eligible to enroll at a variety of nonprofit accredited universities. "Chipotle recognizes that financial barriers can be one of the biggest obstacles that impede our employees from achieving their fullest potential," said Marissa Andrada, Chipotle’s chief people officer, in a statement reported by QSR. "We are proud to launch this opportunity for debt-free degrees by providing free tuition to help our employees excel in all areas in their lives, both in and out of Chipotle."**

**This is an expansion of Chipotle’s existing tuition reimbursement program, which has funded over $20 million in tuition assistance in two years. According to QSR, the brand is even aiming to expand the tuition assistance program to dependents of employees for General Education Development and English as a Second Language classes by 2020.**

**Since the brand has started gradually implementing progressive employee benefit policies, Chipotle decreased turnover for hourly employees from 158% in 2017 to 144.9% in 2018.**

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- QSR Magazine (publication)
- restaurant industry (topic)
- Chipotle (company)
- employee benefits (topic)
- tuition coverage (topic)
- talent crisis (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/guac-is-extra-but-education-is-free-chipotle-offers-tuition-coverage-for-hourly-employees-2711313). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/940867fa-bbf0-44a7-a93f-be8211d8c5a0).