Employee Benefit Plans	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Employee Benefit Plans [Abstract]
Employee Benefit Plans	6. Employee Benefit Plans The Company maintains the Chipotle Mexican Grill 401(k) Plan (the “401(k) Plan”). The Company matches 100% of the first 3% of pay contributed by each eligible employee and 50% on the next 2% of pay contributed. Employees become eligible to receive matching contributions after one year of service with the Company. For the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, Company matching contributions totaled approximately $3,881, $2,644 and $2,431, respectively. In 2012, the Company began offering an employee stock purchase plan (“ESPP”). Under the ESPP, 250 shares of common stock have been authorized and reserved for issuances to eligible employees, of which 248 represent shares that were authorized for issuance but not issued at December 31, 2014. Employees become eligible to contribute after one year of service with the Company and may contribute up to 15% of their base earnings, subject to an annual maximum dollar amount, toward the monthly purchase of the Company’s common stock. For each of the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, the number of shares issued under the ESPP were less than 1. The Company also maintains the Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. Supplemental Deferred Investment Plan (the “Deferred Plan”) which covers eligible employees of the Company. The Deferred Plan is a non-qualified plan that allows participants to make tax-deferred contributions that cannot be made under the 401(k) Plan because of Internal Revenue Service limitations. Participants’ earnings on contributions made to the Deferred Plan fluctuate with the actual earnings and losses of a variety of available investment choices selected by the participant. Total liabilities under the Deferred Plan as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 were $16,147 and $13,397, respectively, and are included in other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. The Company matches 100% of the first 3% of pay contributed by each eligible employee and 50% on the next 2% of pay contributed once the 401(k) contribution limits are reached. For the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, the Company made deferred compensation matches of $536, $201 and $213 respectively, to the Deferred Plan. The Company has elected to fund its deferred compensation obligations through a rabbi trust. The rabbi trust is subject to creditor claims in the event of insolvency, but the assets held in the rabbi trust are not available for general corporate purposes. Amounts in the rabbi trust are invested in mutual funds, as selected by participants, which are designated as trading securities and carried at fair value, and are included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheet. Fair value of mutual funds is measured using Level 1 inputs (quoted prices for identical assets in active markets), and the fair values of the investments in the rabbi trust were $16,147 and $13,397 as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The Company records trading gains and losses in general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statement of income and comprehensive income, along with the offsetting amount related to the increase or decrease in deferred compensation to reflect its exposure of the Deferred Plan liability. The Company recorded $184, $722, and $240 of unrealized gains on investments held in the rabbi trust during the years ended 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively.

6. Employee Benefit Plans

The Company maintains the Chipotle Mexican Grill 401(k) Plan (the “401(k) Plan”). The Company matches 100% of the first 3% of pay contributed by each eligible employee and 50% on the next 2% of pay contributed. Employees become eligible to receive matching contributions after one year of service with the Company. For the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, Company matching contributions totaled approximately $3,881, $2,644 and $2,431, respectively.

In 2012, the Company began offering an employee stock purchase plan (“ESPP”). Under the ESPP, 250 shares of common stock have been authorized and reserved for issuances to eligible employees, of which 248 represent shares that were authorized for issuance but not issued at December 31, 2014. Employees become eligible to contribute after one year of service with the Company and may contribute up to 15% of their base earnings, subject to an annual maximum dollar amount, toward the monthly purchase of the Company’s common stock. For each of the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, the number of shares issued under the ESPP were less than 1.

The Company also maintains the Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. Supplemental Deferred Investment Plan (the “Deferred Plan”) which covers eligible employees of the Company. The Deferred Plan is a non-qualified plan that allows participants to make tax-deferred contributions that cannot be made under the 401(k) Plan because of Internal Revenue Service limitations. Participants’ earnings on contributions made to the Deferred Plan fluctuate with the actual earnings and losses of a variety of available investment choices selected by the participant. Total liabilities under the Deferred Plan as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 were $16,147 and $13,397, respectively, and are included in other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. The Company matches 100% of the first 3% of pay contributed by each eligible employee and 50% on the next 2% of pay contributed once the 401(k) contribution limits are reached. For the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, the Company made deferred compensation matches of $536, $201 and $213 respectively, to the Deferred Plan.

The Company has elected to fund its deferred compensation obligations through a rabbi trust. The rabbi trust is subject to creditor claims in the event of insolvency, but the assets held in the rabbi trust are not available for general corporate purposes. Amounts in the rabbi trust are invested in mutual funds, as selected by participants, which are designated as trading securities and carried at fair value, and are included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheet. Fair value of mutual funds is measured using Level 1 inputs (quoted prices for identical assets in active markets), and the fair values of the investments in the rabbi trust were $16,147 and $13,397 as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The Company records trading gains and losses in general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statement of income and comprehensive income, along with the offsetting amount related to the increase or decrease in deferred compensation to reflect its exposure of the Deferred Plan liability. The Company recorded $184, $722, and $240 of unrealized gains on investments held in the rabbi trust during the years ended 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively.