Popular Mexican food chain Chipotle coming to UAE, Kuwait

US fast-food chain Chipotle said on Tuesday it will open locations in the Gulf in a move that will expand the heavy presence of American fast food in the region — but the company will need to adjust its menu due to restrictions on pork in the region.

Chipotle signed a partnership with Kuwaiti franchise operator Alshaya Group to open its restaurants in Dubai and Kuwait early next year. Chipotle will then seek to expand to other parts of the region, according to a press release.

A spokesperson for Chipotle told Al-Monitor on Wednesday that the company will open two restaurants in Dubai, and two in Kuwait, but has not yet released the exact location.

Background: Chipotle is a US-based fast-food chain that specializes in Mexican-style cuisine, chiefly burritos. Chipotle’s restaurants are primarily in the United States, but the company also has locations in Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

Why it matters: Chipotle is one of the biggest fast-food chains in the United States and reported $7.5 billion in revenue in 2021, constituting a 26.1% increase on the year. This figure gave Chipotle the 10th-largest sales numbers among US fast-food chains that year, according to the Vancouver-based website Visual Capitalist.

Dubai and Kuwait City already have numerous American fast-food chains, including McDonald’s and KFC. Kuwait City notably has Chipotle competitor Taco Bell, which likewise specializes in Mexican food. Taco Bell is not in Dubai.

Chipotle will need to make some adjustments for the expansion. Chipotle offers pork options, and pork consumption is forbidden in Islam. The United Arab Emirates allows non-Muslims to consume pork; however, importing pork is entirely prohibited in Kuwait.

The spokesperson confirmed that Chipotle will not serve pork in Kuwait and Dubai.

"We’ll continue to offer real ingredients with true culinary techniques. Our goal is to have a very similar menu, but we’ll make minor adjustments and take into account cultural differences," the spokesperson told Al-Monitor.

Chipotle also depends on avocados for its guacamole. The UAE has some avocado production capacity and exported $10.73 million worth of avocados in 2021, an increase of 32.8% on the year. The Emirates also imported $53.7 million in avocados in 2021. Kuwait, on the other hand, exported a negligible amount of avocados and imported $4.6 million that year, according to data intelligence firm Tridge.

Alshaya Group did not immediately respond to Al-Monitor’s request for comment.