Employee Benefit Plans	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Employee Benefit Plans [Abstract]
Employee Benefit Plans	10. Employee Benefit Plans Defined Contribution Plan—We maintain the Chipotle Mexican Grill 401(k) Plan (the “401(k) Plan”). We match 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 Chipotle. For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, matching contributions totaled approximately $6,968, $6,090 and $6,072, respectively and are included in general and administrative expenses on the consolidated statements of income. Deferred Compensation Plan—We also maintain the Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. Supplemental Deferred Investment Plan (the “Deferred Plan”) which covers our eligible employees. 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, 2019 and 2018, were $12,811 and $10,872, respectively, and are included in other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. We match 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, 2019, 2018, and 2017, we made deferred compensation matches of $412, $152, and $199, respectively, to the Deferred Plan and are included in general and administrative expenses on the consolidated statements of income. We have elected to fund our deferred compensation obligation 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, consistent with the investment choices selected by participants in their Deferred Plan accounts, which are designated as trading securities, carried at fair value, and are included in other assets on the consolidated balance sheets. Fair value of mutual funds is measured using Level 1 inputs. The fair value of the investments in the rabbi trust was $12,811 and $10,872 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. We record trading gains and losses in general and administrative expenses on the consolidated statements of income, along with the offsetting amount related to the increase or decrease in deferred compensation to reflect our exposure to liabilities for payment under the deferred plan. Employee Stock Purchase Plan—We also offer an employee stock purchase plan (“ESPP”). Employees become eligible to participate after one year of service with Chipotle and may contribute up to 15% of their base earnings, subject to an annual maximum dollar amount, toward the monthly purchase of our common stock. The purchase price is 95% of the fair market value of the stock on the last trading date of the monthly exercise period. Under the ESPP, 250 shares of common stock have been authorized and reserved for issuances to eligible employees, of which 246 represent shares that were authorized for issuance but not issued at December 31, 2019. For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, the number of shares issued each year under the ESPP was less than one.

Employee Benefit Plans

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

10. Employee Benefit Plans

Defined Contribution Plan—We maintain the Chipotle Mexican Grill 401(k) Plan (the “401(k) Plan”). We match 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 Chipotle. For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, matching contributions totaled approximately $6,968, $6,090 and $6,072, respectively and are included in general and administrative expenses on the consolidated statements of income.

Deferred Compensation Plan—We also maintain the Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. Supplemental Deferred Investment Plan (the “Deferred Plan”) which covers our eligible employees. 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, 2019 and 2018, were $12,811 and $10,872, respectively, and are included in other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. We match 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, 2019, 2018, and 2017, we made deferred compensation matches of $412, $152, and $199, respectively, to the Deferred Plan and are included in general and administrative expenses on the consolidated statements of income.

We have elected to fund our deferred compensation obligation 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, consistent with the investment choices selected by participants in their Deferred Plan accounts, which are designated as trading securities, carried at fair value, and are included in other assets on the consolidated balance sheets. Fair value of mutual funds is measured using Level 1 inputs. The fair value of the investments in the rabbi trust was $12,811 and $10,872 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. We record trading gains and losses in general and administrative expenses on the consolidated statements of income, along with the offsetting amount related to the increase or decrease in deferred compensation to reflect our exposure to liabilities for payment under the deferred plan.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan—We also offer an employee stock purchase plan (“ESPP”). Employees become eligible to participate after one year of service with Chipotle and may contribute up to 15% of their base earnings, subject to an annual maximum dollar amount, toward the monthly purchase of our common stock. The purchase price is 95% of the fair market value of the stock on the last trading date of the monthly exercise period. Under the ESPP, 250 shares of common stock have been authorized and reserved for issuances to eligible employees, of which 246 represent shares that were authorized for issuance but not issued at December 31, 2019. For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, the number of shares issued each year under the ESPP was less than one.