Is guac still extra? Chipotle ups average wage to $15 an hour

The US burrito chain plans to reach that pay level by the end of June and will set hourly starting wages at $11 to $18 per hour, the company said in a statement.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. is raising its average wage to $15 an hour as it moves to hire 20,000 workers across the U.S., joining a growing number of companies reconsidering worker pay amid widespread labor shortages. The burrito chain plans to reach that compensation level by the end of June and will set hourly starting wages at $11 to $18 an hour, according to a statement Monday. Chipotle said in January that its average hourly rate was about $13, with starting wages at its restaurants over $10. Labor was a major concern for the industry even before the pandemic, with restaurants struggling to attract workers even at higher pay. Now the health crisis has given a boost to delivery services and fast-food chains at the expense of their sit-down counterparts.