NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Chipotle Mexican Grill is gearing up for a winter of competition by partnering with five top American athletes. On Thursday, January 15, 2026, the chain announced the launch of “Team Chipotle 2026,” a campaign that introduces five new digital menu items and brings back the brand’s celebratory gold foil wrapping.
Starting immediately, fans can order the specific “go-to” meals of hockey stars Matthew Tkachuk, Brady Tkachuk, Hilary Knight, and Taylor Heise, as well as snowboarder Red Gerard, exclusively through the Chipotle app and website. Additionally, beginning February 6, all burritos sold in U.S. restaurants will be wrapped in gold foil for a limited time to celebrate the spirit of athletic excellence.
The “Team Chipotle” Menu
The new limited-time menu features high-protein combinations designed to match the training regimens of professional winter athletes. The lineup includes:
- The Matthew Tkachuk Bowl: A high-protein option (67g) with double chicken, light brown rice, light tomatillo-red chili salsa, light sour cream, and lettuce.
- The Brady Tkachuk Bowl: A “surf and turf” style mix of half chicken and half steak, paired with white rice and roasted chili-corn salsa (60g protein).
- The Hilary Knight Burrito: A classic combination of white rice, pinto beans, fresh tomato salsa, cheese, and guacamole (28g protein).
- The Taylor Heise Tacos: Three soft flour tacos filled with chicken, fresh tomato salsa, roasted chili-corn salsa, sour cream, cheese, and lettuce (50g protein).
- The Red Gerard Bowl: A hearty bowl featuring chicken, extra white rice, tomatillo-red chili salsa, cheese, sour cream, and lettuce (48g protein).
Stephanie Perdue, Interim Chief Marketing Officer at Chipotle, highlighted the authenticity of the partnerships:
“While the path to greatness is different for each of these star athletes, Chipotle is consistently part of their training regimen, providing easy access to real ingredients and high protein options.”
What’s New
Update: January 27, 2026 While the gold foil wrappers are celebrating Team USA’s pursuit of glory, Chipotle is already preparing its next major flavor drop for February. The chain has confirmed that one of its most requested limited-time proteins, Chicken al Pastor, is officially returning to the menu just days after the Winter Games kick off. for details on the launch date and how to get early access, read our full report on the Return of Chipotle Chicken al Pastor.
Why It Matters
This campaign continues Chipotle’s long-standing strategy of leveraging “real” athlete orders to drive digital sales. By engaging with winter sports stars—particularly a heavy roster of hockey players—the brand is targeting a specific sports demographic during the peak of their season. The return of the gold foil is a nostalgic visual cue for the brand, historically used during major international sporting events to associate their burritos with “gold medal” performance.
The launch is supported by new episodes of Chipotle’s “Unwrapped” video series, which provides behind-the-scenes looks at the athletes’ journeys and training routines. Contact Us!
