Chipotle vs. Sweetgreen: Which Stock Will Make You Richer?

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When it comes to investing, it's fairly easy to measure success. After all, people invest to make money. It's important to remember that short-term hiccups due to geopolitical and economic concerns can create a moneymaking opportunity for patient investors. The restaurant industry has seen its share of challenges recently. Between Chipotle Mexican Grill and Sweetgreen, which restaurant stock provides the greater upside, and hence potential to make more money, over the long haul?

Why it matters

Both Chipotle and Sweetgreen have faced sales challenges due to broader economic factors, but their long-term outlooks differ. Determining which stock has the greater potential upside is crucial for investors looking to maximize their returns.

The details

Chipotle has long been a popular dining choice for those looking for a higher-quality meal than fast food at a still-reasonable price. Its food contains fresh ingredients that don't include any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. But its sales haven't been immune to broad economic factors that have made people cautious about discretionary spending, including eating out. Turning to Sweetgreen, its restaurants offer healthier fare than typical fast-casual chains. It seeks to use natural ingredients. While its sales were on a roll, they hit a speed bump last year. Sweetgreen has been expanding, adding 25 restaurants in 2024 and 35 in 2025. It ended the year with 281 locations in 24 states and Washington, D.C. Still, management plans to open much fewer restaurants, 15, this year. And it projects a 2% to 4% decrease in comps.

• Last year's comps fell 1.7% for Chipotle, with traffic dropping, although spending increased.
• Sweetgreen's comps dropped by 7.9% last year compared to a 6.2% increase in 2024.