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Brian Niccol

Former Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Chipotle Mexican Grill

Search every verified Brian Niccol interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Brian Niccol, who became CEO of Starbucks in 2024 after previously leading Chipotle, has been discussing the company's turnaround efforts in recent interviews. In a September 2026 appearance on CNBC's "Squawk Box," Niccol said Starbucks is "back" and that its "business has made the turn," citing progress on store renovations and the implementation of a "Green Apron" customer service model. He noted that the company had renovated over a thousand locations in roughly nine months, with plans to reach about 1,500 by the end of the fiscal year. He also highlighted the rollout of digital menu boards, which allow for daypart-specific merchandising, and recommended products such as the pumpkin protein cold foam. In earlier remarks, including a July 2026 Bloomberg interview and a September 2025 conversation, Niccol attributed recent sales growth—such as a 7.9% comp increase with transactions up 4.2%—to more customers visiting more often across income and age groups. He credited improvements in store throughput, staffing, and the Green Apron model for better speed in drive-thru, cafe, and mobile pickup channels. Niccol also discussed plans to invest in store remodels, new locations, and potential buybacks or dividends as the balance sheet strengthens, while noting that the company evaluates product costs critically, including with the aid of AI.

Recent appearances

Verified interview transcripts

Notable quotes

“You know, so the good news is for us as the business continues to recover, the balance sheet gets stronger and stronger, it gives us terrific opportunities to invest in growth. Obviously, some of that growth is going to be the store remodels and then obviously building new stores and then we'll look around to figure out what is the right next growth vehicle for us. Buybacks may be part of it. Obviously, we've got a d”

“Yeah, look, I think you would expect us to be looking with a critical eye towards any product that we use and whether or not we're getting the best cost proposition and also are we getting the best outcomes from that proposition. And that's basically what we're doing here is we've got some great partners but at the same token we need to make sure that we are getting the best output for the best pricing and I think yo”

“We believe with our partner Boyu, that could be 15, 20,000 coffee houses. And they are the great they are a great partner for growth. And part of the reason why we decided to do this is for our next chapter of growth, we just believe we needed a local partner to help us kind of figure out how we can grow faster.”

“I think if we can consistently deliver a comp that is 3% or better, you know, revenue growth that is you know, 5% or better and then earnings growth that outpaces that, that would be world-class and we're a world-class company and we will deliver I think world-class results as we get going on this turnaround. So, make no mistake, we are a growth company at scale which is really exciting I think.”

“We've invested over I think it's $500 million close to $600 million into the labor experience and you know, the best way for you to then start driving earnings is we got to get the top line going. We've done that and then obviously we'll work on the middle of the P&L as well on the cost side of things which we've got clear line of sight on how over the next 2 years we'll probably be able to save close to $2 billion w”

“You cannot cost cut your way to providing great experiences and building great brands. If you're not growing, then you can't do this without a doubt.”

Other executives at Chipotle Mexican Grill

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