Chipotle is giving away free food and drinks this September to help lure customers back.
Customers with a valid student ID who purchase a burrito, bowl, tacos, or salad at the chain can receive a free fountain drink or iced tea all September. Free drinks do not include beer, margaritas, or bottled drinks, and they can be picked up only with in-person purchases.
The chain is also offering free kids meals every Sunday in September with the purchase of an adult meal. The offer applies only to children ages 12 and under, and it also applies only to in-store orders.
The company is hoping that free food will attract customers who haven't returned to the chain after an E. coli outbreak affected locations in 14 states. While the outbreak was declared over in February, sales have remained down, with the chain's same-store sales dropping 30% in the first quarter of 2016.
From February to May, the company gave away roughly $70 million in free-food coupons. More recently, Chipotle began offering happy-hour specials on alcoholic drinks in eight states.
Despite Chipotle's investment in free food and drinks, the chain hasn't yet offered evidence that the giveaways are working. Earlier in August, a letter from Chipotle to the Securities and Exchange Commission was released that revealed that as of July the company was unable to measure any revenue gained the free-food coupons.
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