12 Quick Secrets to Ordering Chipotle
Story originally written by Anna Monette Roberts for PopSugar
Even if you frequent Chipotle Mexican Grill several times a week, chances are you don’t know the best deal on the menu, all the free stuff you can walk away with, and how to skip the line. Thanks to personal experience (we’ve eaten many a burrito/bowl/salad/taco) and consulting with several Chipotle managers, we now have all those answers.
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What’s Free
Meat and guacamole will always cost you extra at Chipotle, but here’s what you might not know is free.
- Honey chipotle vinaigrette
- Lime wedges
- Jalapeños
- Extra beans and rice
- Extra tortillas or taco shells
- Extra salsas, cheese, sour cream . . . pretty much anything but meat and guac
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How to Score a Deal
Yes, even at Chipotle there are ways to work the system to get the most food for your buck.
- Order a bowl, not a burrito, to get bigger portions. Since the burrito has to be rolled up, the portions are a bit smaller. Instead, opt for the bowl and ask for a tortilla or taco shells on the side for no charge.
- You’re allowed to mix proteins. You don’t have to decide between chicken and carnitas. Order half and half, at the same time, in the same burrito.
- Chipotle values ingredients with points. Order an item with three or less “points,” and you are charged less. Tortillas and taco shells are zero points. Guacamole and meat count as two points. And everything else (rice, cheese, etc.) is one point.
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“Secret Menu” Items to Order
- Quesadilla/taco: Take a soft taco tortilla, cover it with cheese, fold it in half, melt it in the press, open it up, and make a taco.
- Quesarito: Make a big, round quesadilla; fill it with meat and rice; and then roll it up like a burrito. Sure, Taco Bell’s famous for it, but Chipotle will make it for you too for the same cost as a standard burrito . . . Just hold the liquid-y ingredients like sour cream and hot sauce, which make it difficult to roll. Also, be patient, as it takes longer to assemble than a standard burrito.
Picthx Anna Monette Roberts
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How Stuff’s Made
- Chips: Chipotle fries corn tortillas in sunflower oil and then seasons them with freshly squeezed lime juice and kosher salt.
- Rice: Steam white rice with bay leaves. Toss with rice bran oil, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and kosher salt.
- Guacamole: Mash avocados, citrus (lemon-lime) juice, kosher salt, cilantro, red onion, and jalapeños together. We actually went into Chipotle to make its signature guac.
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How to Order Smarter
We’ve heard it from a Chipotle worker herself! These things can immediately influence your service.
- Phone in your order or order online. If you’ve ordered ahead, you can skip the line and go straight to the cashier.
- It’s all about attitude! Be kind to your fellow burrito maker, and they will probably be more willing to go the extra mile to ensure you’re getting the burrito of your dreams.
- Feeling skimped? It happens. One full scoop is a Chipotle portion. However, if you feel like the burrito maker is giving you too little, politely ask for more.
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