![A Chipotle Restaurant Ahead Of Earnings Data A Chipotle Restaurant Ahead Of Earnings Data](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/chipotle-burrito.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
Chipotle is extending its free food promotion to get customers back after the restaurant chain battled an E. Coli outbreak last year.
“Free burritos—turns out it works. It brings people into the restaurants,” Chipotle CFO Jack Hartung told analysts on Wednesday at an industry conference, Fortune reports.
Chipotle is sending out 21 million coupons for free food—good until May 15—in the next few weeks via direct mail. (An estimated 6-10 million of them have already been sent out, according to the Associated Press.) Bloomberg estimates that giveaway could cost Chipotle more than $60 million in sales.
In February, the company tried to lure burritophiles back to its 2,000 locations with a free burrito coupon to those who texted the word “raincheck” to 888-222. About 5.3 million people have downloaded coupons from the official Chipotle app since last month, though a little less than half had redeemed them.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Biden Drops Out of Presidential Race , Endorses Harris to Replace Him
- Why Biden Dropped Out
- The Chaos and Commotion of the RNC in Photos
- Why We All Have a Stake in Twisters’ Success
- 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep
- Stop Feeling Bad About Sweating
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Get Our Paris Olympics Newsletter in Your Inbox
Write to Nolan Feeney at nolan.feeney@time.com