Top 5 Restaurant Stocks to Buy Now

3. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG)

The coronavirus hasn’t been able to stop Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) shares from continuing their impressive run since the start of 2018, during which they’ve gained over 350%. The stock, which was owned by 51 hedge funds on September 30, has gained another 65% this year.

Ensemble Capital, which owned 21,387 CMG shares at the end of September, discussed the stock in its Q3 investor letter, praising the company for its fresh food concept and ensuring the consistency and quality of its food by paying a premium to retain its staff in an industry that is marked by high employee turnover. Ensemble Capital noted that while CMG shares may seem expensive at the moment, the company has a great opportunity ahead of it to grow into those expectations, including through its plans to double its store count in the U.S. International expansion, an area in which Chipotle has thus far treaded lightly, could drive additional growth further down the line.