A sign showing that the Chipotle Mexican Grill seen at 1924 Beacon St. is closed on December 8, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Chipotle Mexican Grill, under scrutiny for months over outbreaks of foodborne illness linked to its restaurants across several U.S. states, will be briefly closing all its stores on Feb. 8th.



"We are hosting a national team meeting to thank our employees for their hard work through this difficult time, discuss some of the food safety changes we are implementing, and answer questions from employees," Chris Arnold, a spokesman, told CNBC.



The company's sales plunged 30 percent in December, following at least six outbreaks tied to Chipotle in the last year, including norovirus, E. coli and salmonella.



At least nine lawsuits have been filed, according to The Chicago Tribune. And more suits are coming, says Bill Marler, a food and safety litigator in Seattle.



"I represent a total of 75 people, but I haven't filed all their lawsuits yet," he told the Tribune. 