People Are Filming Chipotle Workers In A Quest For Bigger Portions, And Staff Have Had It
For the last month, Chipotle workers have had to deal with an unexpected job hurdle: a TikTok-inspired “ordering hack” that has customers filming workers in a bid to get bigger portions.
Those who are recording Chipotle and the employees themselves would rather go big on that barbacoa scoop than go viral on social media for paltry servings. In one viral video, a woman claims that in response to the trend, managers have now notified employees that if they see someone recording with their phone, they should just “load it up” and “go ham” with the person’s order.
There’s currently a “method” going around for Chipotle, basically you film them while they make your food which makes them not skimp out on the portions because they don't want the bad publicity or reviews 😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/VU4NX7a9hz
— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) May 26, 2024
Many of the online burrito justice warriors say they’re simply tired of shrinkflation: when companies downsize portions without downsizing prices.
“Definitely sucks for the employees,” one person who supports the TikTok trend admitted on the Chipotle subreddit. “Unfortunately using social media is a lot more effective than emailing corporate. Mass and viral outrage is the only thing that will work against large corps.”
“Chipotle employees act like the food comes straight out of their check,” another person wrote on the forum. Popular food critic Keith Lee has also taken Chipotle to task for skimping in a video that’s brought him more than 18 million views.
The restaurant chain’s social media team poked fun at the trend last month by posting a TikTok video of people standing at a Chipotle counter with their phones out with the caption “POV u work at Chipotle rn.” The video has gotten more than 8 million views.
Laughs aside, they also seem to be taking the criticism seriously. In response to all the controversy, Chipotle CEO Brian Nicco gave an awkward interview with Fortune magazine’s TikTok team late last month in which he assured customers that there’s been no changes in portions. (If you want more of anything, all you have to do is soften your eyes and tilt your head a little. Give them the look, he said, demonstrating for effect, and “usually, our guys and women will give [you] a little more scoop.”)
Chipotle claims servings are the same, but some anecdotal evidence would suggest otherwise. On the subreddit, people commiserate over the tiny fist-sized burritos and meager bowls they’ve received at local outlets. Most of the sad burrito and burrito bowls that get posted are from mobile orders, which customers have long accused the chain of making smaller compared to items bought in person.
Chipotle workers we spoke to said they understand people’s frustration with the occasional stingy order but that the TikTok filming “hack” is disrespectful and intimidating to the majority of workers who don’t skimp.
“The thing that very few customers seem to understand, and even fewer would care if they did understand, is the majority of workers serve as instructed by their management,” said Alex Thomas, a Chipotle employee in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
On the Chipotle subreddit ― which is about one-third employees, two-thirds customers and very contentious right now ― Chipotle workers have shared images of portions set by corporate.
“No one on the line is intentionally trying to stiff any customers on food; it would look bad on them if they did,” Thomas said.
Toni ― a Chipotle employee from Tacoma, Washington, who, like others in this article, asked to use her first name only to protect her privacy ― has so far only encountered people jokingly attempting to use the hack.
“One guy said, ‘But if I really had my phone on me, you would have to give me extra if I filmed you, right?’ with a straight and serious face,” she told HuffPost. “I think he was seriously considering doing it just for extra.”
“It’s like, ’No sir, you don’t need to dehumanize me for your extra beef and extra barbacoa juice, no rice, black beans drained, extra sauce, extra cream and guac burrito,’” she said.
To deal with it, Toni’s manager has told employees to give in any time anyone has their phone out or cops a major attitude. “We’re supposed to let them know we can do it this time, but next time we’ll have to charge extra,” she said.
Wynter, who works at a Chipotle in North Carolina, said she just asks people not to film her face when they come through her line with their cellphones out. (What do they generally want more of? “For the most part, people want extra rice. Like three huge scoops of rice,” she said.)
The most egregious example of the trend happened when a person from Wynter’s hometown with a decent TikTok following came in and wasn’t the least bit discreet about filming.
“My co-worker is a minor and very shy and asked them not to film her at all,” Wynter told HuffPost. “They were condescending and told her that if she didn’t skimp she had nothing to worry about.”
The manager on duty finally told the customer that unless they complied, they would be denied service.
“They vowed to make sure no one would come to our store again and threatened to ‘expose’ us before leaving,” she said. “We’re still busy and none of us could find this encounter on TikTok. Trust me, we looked!”
In Wynter’s opinion, this campaign to get more food is misdirected at minimum-wage workers, many of whom are already dealing with some atrocious behavior from customers: There have been multiple incidents recently of unhappy guests throwing burritos at workers. Some customers have even jumped over the service counter to fight employees.
If the customers really want to stick it to corporate, Wynter said, they should just spend their money elsewhere and not give any additional exposure to Chipotle.
“Visit the mom-and-pop shops and show people what you could get for a better deal,” she said.
David, from Northeast Ohio, has been a general manager at a Chipotle location for three years. In that time, there’s been no “grand conspiracy” to stiff the customer.
“We have no secret handshakes or code words. We’re just people serving food,” he said. “As with most trends for Chipotle, a lot are based on conspiracy theories that have no real foundation. Influencers use anecdotal evidence to create a story to generate hits.”
Another popular “hack” is to come in an ask for one scoop of meat, wait for the worker to move to the next item, then ask for double. In no way, shape or form is this going to get you more food, David said.
“If anything, you’re simply purposefully wasting our time and patience, and the result may actually be negative toward the volume you receive,” he said.
The best advice he can offer Chipotle customers is to simply know which stores operate the best, and stick to those stores for the best experience.
“If your local Chipotle is dirty, understaffed, with bad-looking food, don’t go there,” David said. “Treat us like people. We are not a zoo; we are not on display. A lot of us are tired, and we simply want to give you your food and send you on your way.”
If you want more food, all you need to do is ask, said Brynn, who works at a Chipotle in southwest Virginia and has seen people attempt the hacks.
The only things that employees are supposed to charge extra for, according to corporate guidelines, are queso blanco, guacamole and additional protein, but otherwise you can ask for whatever, Brynn said.
“You want double rice? Sure thing! Lots of sour cream? I’ve got you, honey,” she said. “Green salsa and light cheese on the bowl, but red sauce and sour cream mixed on the side? Not a problem, just give me a second to get that for you!”
If you want a generous serving, Brynn said, decency will get you further than filming.
“If you add a smile and offer some kindness for your weary local Chipotle worker, we might sneak in just a little extra of the up-charges without mentioning it to the cashier,” she said.
