Sickened Cleveland Circle Chipotle Diners Have Gotten Settlements

Many of those who fell ill after eating at the restaurant have been paid out in cash. Others sought coupons for free burritos.

Nine months after scores of people fell ill after eating food prepared at the Chipotle in Cleveland Circle, many of the diners have gotten payouts from the national burrito chain.

Local customers were among more than 100 to date who have been sent confidential settlements in cash. Reuters reported on the payouts earlier this week, and said the company still has to deal with a federal investigation about its policies on food safety.

The Globe is now reporting that at least 14 of those who ate at the Brookline fast-food restaurant have been paid after they contracted norovirus, which has been attributed to an employee who showed up for work while sick.

The outbreak of illness seems not to have deterred people looking for quick meals on the go from the chain. Many customers, including the son of Watertown attorney Andrea C. Dow, have continued to patronize the restaurants, the Globe reports. Dow says the settlements for the customers were “quite generous.”

One woman, an Oregonian, requested and received a bundle of coupons for free food. Hey, when life hands you tainted barbacoa, right?

Chipotle, no doubt, is hoping the settlements—and a very public retooling of its food safety procedures—can put all that bad press about contamination behind them. Not like the company hasn’t since found other ways to wind up in the news.