Chipotle CEO Apologizes for E.Coli Outbreak, One Seattle Location Closes

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.is facing new questions about its food-safety procedures in Seattle, a sign the restaurant chain may have a hard time bouncing back from recent E. coli and norovirus outbreaks.

Chipotle is not out of the woods yet, but it is trying to reassure customers that its restaurants are safe so it can put a awful year behind it.

On the same day, Boston College increased the number of students who have reported feeling ill after a group of them ate at Chipotle from 120, to 141.

His words followed the fallout of an extensive outbreak of suspected norovirus, which affected a minimum of 140 Boston college students - all of whom had eaten at the same local Chipotle outlets. That string of failures spurred the public health to shut down the location.

A spokesman from Chipotle said that the recently-closed restaurant in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle was under investigation.

All the restaurants in the building including one of Starbucks have been closed, and Marler added that people looked a bit uncomfortable in the crowded lifts. Its enhanced food safety program will establish Chipotle at the forefront of food safety protocols in the restaurant industry.

Asked on NBC's "Today" program whether Chipotle could recover financially, Ells said "certainly", a sentiment some analysts shared.

The food-illness forced the company to close many of its stores in Washington and Oregon.

The illnesses have raised concerns about potential damage to Chipotle's reputation despite the loyalty it has built over its use of fresh produce, meat raised without antibiotics and ingredients free of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.

Chipotle Mexican Grill had been one of the best performing stocks out there, but it is getting absolutely hammered in the last two months since the outbreaks began, dropping 30 percent over such a short time frame.

Earlier this week, Chipotle's other co-CEO, Monty Moran, in a conference call with investors, blamed the media for over-reporting the illnesses. In his interview with Lauer, Ells emphasized the steps that Chipotle is taking on this front.

Norovirus, an airborne illness that causes gastrointestinal discomfort, is not easy to eradicate and spreads rapidly.

But the company says whatever ingredients potentially caused the E. coli outbreak are "long gone" and that it has strengthened its procedures to head off future health problems.

However, the illnesses have led to a top-down review of safety practices at Chipotle, Ells said. "I feel awful about that, and we're doing a lot to rectify this and make sure it doesn't happen again", Ells said.