If you’re normal, like me, you probably enjoy eating at the chain restaurant Chipotle. I’m a frequent customer at Chipotle myself, and it bothers me when I’m there and I see people not taking full advantage of Chipotle’s ordering process. Folks are always complaining about Chipotle’s prices, but in reality, Chipotle’s prices are fantastic if you take full advantage of their serving methods. I’m here to enlighten you on how to get the most for your money at Chipotle.
I’m going to start out this how to by acknowledging the fact that not everyone enjoys all the ingredients offered. If that’s the case, just skip them, you can still enjoy all the other ones.
When you arrive at the front of the line, you are offered the option of getting a burrito, tacos, or a burrito bowl. Most people opt for the burrito because it’s the more standard fare at Chipotle. However, you get far more food if you order a burrito bowl. An unknown fact about Chipotle is that you can get as many tortillas or hard taco shells as you want on the side. So if you get a burrito bowl, in addition to receiving more food than just a burrito, you can also create your own burrito/tacos on the side with food to spare. A good way to go is to get six small flour tortillas on the side so that when you go back to your table you can make your own custom soft shell tacos.
They then ask you if you would like white or brown rice. The key here is to ask for both, and they inevitably end up giving you three-quarters of each type of rice instead of just half-and-half. This sets the precedent that you aren’t there to play games. Then comes the beans. I personally prefer the pinto beans, because they are a little smoother and taste a little better. Since you already have a lot of rice in your bowl, the worker will end up giving you more beans than usual just to cover up the large amount of rice, and so it continues with the other ingredients. A never-ending cycle, if you will. The workers are quick to slide your bowl to the meat options, but you can’t let them steer you away from the fajita vegetables; they add a nice crunch and texture to your meal.
When it comes to the meat, there are a couple different ways you can approach it. No matter what you get, whether it be meat or sofritas based upon your preference, you’ll still enjoy your meal. Some people choose the route of going half-and-half with the meats, such as half chicken and half steak, because like the rice, you end up getting three-quarters of each meat as opposed to half-and-half. Others go with double meat, but as we all know, that’s going to cost extra. If you want a little more meat but don’t have enough money to go double, don’t be afraid to ask for a little extra; most workers are kind enough to oblige.
Then your bowl gets pushed to the condiments counter. Here, you can choose whatever salsas and sides you want. I always go for the mild and corn salsa combo, but there’s also medium and hot salsa. They will also ask if you would like sour cream, cheese, and/or lettuce. You can always ask for extra of each if you would like.
Last but not least, there’s the guac, which is one of the most controversial items on Chipotle’s menu, due to its price. I’m of the belief that it’s always worth it just because of how good it tastes and how well it compliments your meal. Some people complain that they don’t receive enough guac, and my response to that is I always enjoy telling the worker to give me as much guac as they can without being fired. Assuming you didn’t go double meat, your total should be a little under ten dollars for a bowl and water cup. Although that is a little pricier than your typical fast food meal, you have indeed received a mountain of food. Now it’s time to enjoy your work of art. Sit down, unwrap your soft shell tortillas, and dig in.
Additional Chipotle Tips:
- Get salad dressing and sour cream on the side, mix a couple dollops of sour cream into the dressing, and drizzle over you food. It adds an amazing variation to your usual Chipotle fare
- Instead of getting soft shell tacos on the side, get three hard shell tacos. You can break them apart and use instead of chips while at the same time saving a little money. Or you can completely crumble them and use them as a crispy topper to your bowl.
- The lemons that they have by the drinks, napkins and utensils are key. Squeezing a lemon over anything you get at Chipotle improves it tenfold.
Enjoy!
