Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) is set to report its second-quarter results on July 29, and after a rough stretch for the burrito maker, plenty of investors are wondering whether to buy ahead of the print. That's a fair question, but I think it is the wrong one to obsess over. The smarter approach is to ask how this quarter fits into Chipotle's longer story.

What to watch on July 29

The headline number will be same-store sales, and the recent trend is encouraging. After comparable sales declined for several quarters, Chipotle eked out a 0.5% comps gain in Q1 as customer traffic grew again thanks to menu innovations and limited-time offerings.

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Management has guided for roughly flat same-store sales this year, with acceleration expected as 2026 goes on. So the key things to watch on July 29 will be whether that fragile traffic recovery is building momentum and whether margins are holding up while the company reinvests.

Here is why I would not let a single earnings report decide for me. Chipotle's real engine is not quarterly comps; it is relentless unit growth. The company plans to open 350 to 370 new restaurants this year, keeping up its 8% to 10% annual expansion pace, with a heavy emphasis on Chipotlanes, its drive-thru lanes designed for pickup of digital orders.  The company has a long runway toward its long-term goal of roughly 7,000 North American locations, and its individual restaurants boast some of the best economics in the industry.

That combination of opening more high-returning stores year after year is what compounds its value for shareholders over time. A single soft quarter or a single strong one will barely change that trajectory. If anything, the recent weakness has cooled Chipotle's once-lofty valuation. For patient investors, that's more an opportunity than a warning.

Should you buy Chipotle before July 29?

I would not rush in just to beat an earnings date, because trying to trade a single quarter is closer to gambling than investing. But if you believe in Chipotle's long-term story, its durable brand, its proven store model, and its plans for years of unit growth, the recent pullback and early signs of a traffic turnaround make this a reasonable time to start a position or add to one, regardless of what the upcoming earnings report reveals.