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7 Best Chipotle Menu Hacks to Try

Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant.

Chipotle, the popular fast-casual Mexican restaurant, is a hub for creative and personalized cooking. Thanks to its assembly-line format, you can make your own burritos, bowls, tacos, and salads to your preferences. But it’s possible that a lot of people are unaware of the original and creative approaches that clients have evolved over time. This article will examine the world of undiscovered possibilities at this restaurant, where patrons have discovered odd combinations, devious ordering techniques, and obscure menu items. We’ll walk you through a few of these inventive discoveries and reveal the key to making your Chipotle experience even better. Whether you’re a frequent customer or a newbie to the Mexican restaurant, our guide will introduce you to a wide variety of creative menu items and fascinating flavors.


Order Meat Half & Half

delicious burrito bowl from chipotle
Source: Instagram

The Chipotle worker preparing your meal is probably working on autopilot. They’re just scooping along as you mention the items you want on your burrito or bowl. If you want steak, they’ll give you steak; they will scoop it from their pile of steak and plop it on your entrée, likewise for chicken. However, if you ask if you can have both chicken and steak, the Chipotle worker will likely give you an extra large portion size of meat or even two portions of meat. Working at Chipotle means working in a fast-paced environment. Nobody has the time to meticulously measure and ensure that your half-and-half meat is exactly half a portion of what you would normally be given. And even if they notice that you received a bit more meat than you should, once it’s on the plate, it really doesn’t matter. 


Ask for Both Types of Beans

black beans from Chipotle
Source: Instagram

When you get to the bean section of Chipotle, and they ask you if you prefer black beans or pinto, you can ask for both without being charged extra. However, the way you execute this is key to getting your money’s worth. If you want the best bang for your buck, you must time your response accordingly. When the worker asks you for your preference, ask for just one of the options. “Black beans, please.” Once they’ve scooped the black beans into your plates, you go back and say, “actually can I have some pinto beans as well?” They may give you a smaller portion of pinto beans, but that’s fine because you already have a full dose of black beans.


Ask for Extra Rice

steamed brown rice - glistening with fresh lime juice
Source: Instagram

You can apply the principles in the first and second tips to get extra rice on your plate. However, you don’t need to put in that much effort. Rice is a cheap, easy filler, and Chipotle knows. That’s why Chipotle does not charge extra for rice. That said, some stores can have different policies on whether or not they charge extra for more rice. Usually, an employee will tell you if an extra scoop of rice will cost you more at that particular location. However, if you want to be sure, always ask that employee before you have them add an extra scoop of rice to your bowl.

See also  Chipotle's New Burrito Bowl Robot

Take Advantage of Gift Card Promotions

Chipotle Gift Card
Source: Instagram

You may already know that chipotle offers gift cards that customers can purchase and gift to their friends, family, and associates. You can buy these gift cards physically in-store or electronically through the chipotle website. However, did you know that to stir up some additional business, Chipotle often offers deals and discounts for purchasing gift cards with a certain amount? The deals vary from time to time. At the time of writing this article, Chipotle was offering a free Bogo coupon with the purchase of a $40 gift certificate. 


Order the Bowl and Get Extras

two burrito bowls from Chipotle
Source: Instagram

Generally speaking, you’ll get way more food if you ask for a burrito bowl instead of a burrito. Chipotle burrito bowls are wide, and their dome lid is quite high, so there’s a lot of room to work with inside that bowl. Additionally, the worker won’t worry about how to wrap everything you want inside a neatly tucked and structurally good burrito, so they’re not as concerned when you ask for extras. Just be sure to apply chipotle hacking best practices and ask for extra after they’ve already scooped your first portion. If you really want a tortilla, you can even ask for one on the side and roll your own burrito afterwards!


Double Wrap

freshly made chipotle burrito wrap
Source: Instagram

If you’re in the mood for a monster-size burrito and won’t settle for a burrito bowl, you may wanna try a double-wrapped burrito. Double wrapping a burrito allows up to 80% more filling than a single regular wrap. Asking for your burrito to be double-wrapped is a fantastic way to get all of the extras and freebies you can get in your burrito without bursting at the end. 


Don’t Ask for Double Anything Until the First Scoop is Added

freshly made chipotle burrito bowl
Source: Instagram

You’ve already seen dispensable be mentioned repeatedly in this article because it’s important. Never ask for double anything until they’ve added your first scoop. Chipotle fully endorses that they do not charge for extra scoops of certain toppings. However, sometimes employees will subconsciously scoop out less when they know you want a double scoop. Maybe they see it as too much food, or perhaps they’re trying to maintain the structural integrity of your meal. Whatever the reason, you can bypass the employee’s scoop discrepancies by waiting until you receive your first scoop to ask for extra.

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Written by Brian Nagele

Brian attended West Virginia University, then started his career in the IT industry before following his passion for marketing and hospitality. He has over 20 years experience in the restaurant and bar industry.

As a former restaurant owner, he knows about running a food business and loves to eat and enjoy cocktails on a regular basis. He constantly travels to new cities tasting and reviewing the most popular spots.

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