Chipotle has responded to customers filming their orders being prepared in an attempt to get larger portions.
There have been rumors for a long time that Chipotle ‘skimps’ on its portion sizes, so much so that a fan invented a website where you can track what restaurants are prone to giving out small portions.
It’s in the same vein as the website that tracks broken McDonald’s ice cream machines, and it’s called stoptheskimp.com.
To combat these issues, fans started review-bombing Chipotle and making countless videos of their experiences in stores. A ‘hack’ emerged wherein fans were going into a Chipotle restaurant, placing an order, and filming the staff while they made their meal.
The theory behind this is that they will give you ‘proper’ portion sizes if they know they are on camera:
Lots of these videos have gone viral, sparking a conspiracy that Chipotle were doing ‘damage control’ by instructing their staff to give out fuller portions when they are being filmed.
On May 28, Chipotle responded to the speculation, stating, “there have been no changes in [the company’s] portion sizes.” in an interview with People Magazine.
Laurie Schalow, chief corporate affairs and food safety officer at Chipotle, noted:
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
“Our intentions are to provide a great experience every time, and our meals have always been completely customizable so guests can vocalize or digitally select their desired portions when choosing from the list of real ingredients,” she said, adding that customers have always been allowed to request more or less of something when ordering.”
This outrage started after popular food TikToker Keith Lee posted a video on May 3, reviewing some of Chipotle’s most popular menu items.
Lee, who had previously had his own quesadilla partnership with Chipotle, did not outwardly encourage his fans to start this hack, but his review is mostly negative:
The TikTok, which now has nearly 17 million views, shows Lee trying to find a single piece of chicken in his entire meal, which he states is “freezing cold.”
The bowl, which costs around $12-$13, only had four pieces of chicken, leading him to conclude, “I don’t mean no harm in no kind of way. Something changed, and I don’t know what it is.”
Although Chipotle claims that their portion sizes have not changed, they did confirm that “we have reinforced proper portioning with our employees,” which could mean that you’ll notice a difference in your burrito bowl next time you order.
If you want more out of your next Chipotle experience, there is a viral hack to get a burrito for under $4.
