Ode To A Burrito

"Chipotle Mexican Grill is the Bono of the fast-food business."

The ingredients that make Chipotle the hottest fast-food chain on the planet.

Chipotle Mexican Grill is the Bono of the fast-food business. Hardheaded financial analysts love it; do-gooders do too. "Chipotle has done a wonderful job of meeting people's sociological need to eat food that's healthy for the planet," says Dean Haskell, a senior VP at equity researcher Morgan Joseph. Bernard Rollin, a distinguished professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University, gushes about Chipotle's focus on hormone- and antibiotic-free meat that is humanely raised. Then he adds, "Have you eaten there? It's really good."

Good food wrapped in a socially responsible message has created legions of Chipotle fans -- and a superhot business. Acquired by McDonald's in 1998 when there were only 14 Chipotles, the company went public in 2006 with 500 stores and watched its stock rise from $22 to $110 in 18 months. The now-independent outfit is enjoying an 80% revenue run-up over three years, and by year's end, it will have 840 stores and top $1 billion in annual sales.