Chipotle Mexican Grill E.Palm Ave. Burbank (mediacityg)
Chipotle Mexican Grill has agreed to pay $246,000 to settle a consumer protection lawsuit. The national chain has over 500 restaurants in California, including two in Burbank. The suit alleges the popular eatery did not allow consumers to cash out Chipotle gift cards with a balance of less than $10. Investigators from the Los Angeles Department of Consumer and Business Affairs were involved in the crackdown. The settlement was announced late last month.
“Gift cards are real money purchased with hard-earned cash,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a news release. “California law is clear that consumers have the right to redeem a gift card for cash for gift cards with a balance under $10. I thank Deputy District Attorney Duke Chau of our Consumer Protection Division for handling this case along with our partner district attorney’s offices throughout California.”
The company denied any wrongdoing but agreed to several improvements in how it handles gift cards. Last month, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 22, which gives consumers the right to request cash refunds from gift card balances up to $15. That new law goes into effect on April 1, 2026.
