Chipotle $CMG Mexican Grill announced a campaign Tuesday to give away 53,000 free burritos following the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, tying the promotion to a shared historical connection between the two franchises and the chain's 53 real ingredients.
The number 53 references 1973, the last year the Knicks won the NBA championship and the first season San Antonio fielded a professional basketball team. Chipotle said it is calling the effort its "53 Years. 53 Real Ingredients" campaign.
Redemption works through a text-to-win code that Chipotle plans to post on X $TWTR once the series concludes. Anyone who texts that code to 888-222 is eligible, though the offer is capped at 53,000 recipients on a first-come, first-served basis. The promotion is open to U.S. residents 13 and older, and standard text and data rates may apply, the company said.
"This year's series created a connection we couldn't ignore: 53 years tied to a unique championship storyline and 53 real ingredients that define Chipotle," Stephanie Perdue, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing at Chipotle, said in a statement. "Giving away 53,000 free burritos is our way of bringing that story to life for fans."
The campaign also features New York Knicks guards Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, both of whom are members of Chipotle's Team Chipotle athlete program. Their signature orders are available as limited-time digital menu items on the Chipotle app and website. Hart's burrito is built around white rice, double adobo chicken, black beans, fresh tomato salsa, roasted chili-corn salsa, sour cream, and cheese, adding up to 95 grams of protein. Bridges' bowl layers white rice, double adobo chicken, tomatillo-green chili salsa, roasted chili-corn salsa, and lettuce for a total of 71 grams of protein.
A new ad called "Time For Real," produced with Venables Bell & Partners and helmed by director Jake Scott, will make its television debut during Game 2 on June 5, with Hart and Bridges appearing in the spot.
Each player carries a Chipotle Celebrity Card entitling him to a year of free meals, and the two have worked with the brand on past marketing activations. Bridges, for his part, has publicly claimed an unbroken Chipotle streak going back to 2013, according to the company.
Chipotle has run NBA Finals promotions before. Chipotle's NBA Finals tie-ins stretch back several years, Nation's Restaurant News notes — a 2021 burrito giveaway was followed by a separate Finals deal the following year, and during the 2023 series the chain released 300 free entrées on X every time any player converted a three-pointer.
Chipotle operates more than 4,100 restaurants across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Germany, and the Middle East, the company said.