There is no doubt that the business model for fast-casual dining has evolved, and Chipotle has been at the forefront of that evolution since its 1993 inception. The brand's emphasis on quality ingredients and customizable meals makes it unsurprising that the quick-service chain is one of the top 10 most popular for customer satisfaction in the United States, according to data collected on Statista. Chipotle is enjoyed byroughly a million diners each day, and among those orders, there are countless variations. One of the most beloved items is the burrito bowl, which may be due in part to the generous amount of all the proteins, grains, veggies, sauces, and garnishes that customers can request when building their ideal combinations.
What's more, when considering the best value meal Chipotle has to offer, the burrito bowl appears to be the tried and true choice. When tested against the other customizable dish formats at Chipotle, the burrito bowl builds an especially budget-friendly case.
The economical approach to a Chipotle order
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Menu prices at Chipotle vary by type of item, choice of protein, and the addition of premium toppings, like the Queso Blanco sauce or ever-so-delicious guacamole. Barring these variables, burrito bowls, at their most basic price, are seemingly more expensive than some other dishes. They are similar to Chipotle salads, but they swap the base of greens with a base of rice, beans, or fajita veggies.
Despite the price differences, the savviest Chipotle enthusiasts have concluded that ounce for ounce, a burrito bowl is the most cost-effective order a customer can make.Members of the Chipotle subreddit claim that ordering a burrito bowl with a tortilla on the side gives customers more food for the same price as some of its other items, most notably the burrito. Business Insider tested this claim, comparing the weight of a burrito bowl's contents with those of its wrapped namesake.
Sure enough, for the same price, ordering a burrito bowl means ordering significantly more food. In that specific case, the bowl's weight was astoundingly almost 71% more than the burrito's.
More ways to get more for less
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It should be noted that, after Business Insider proved the economical power of a burrito bowl in 2013, Chipotle started charging extra for tortillas on the side, albeit only 25 cents a piece as of 2020.Still, burrito bowls with a tortilla on the side can be an efficient choice for the difference in food yielded by each order.
While impressive in its own right, sticking to burrito bowls is far from the only hack Chipotle's devoted customers have discovered. Among others is the orderthat'll get you two burritos for the price of one and the half-and-half order that will get you a bigger portion of protein. With numerous items at Chipotle, there seems to be a way to get more bounce for the ounce. Next time you're hankering for the goods from the Mexican grill, you may want to give one of these ordering hacks a go.
So hear us out: order a bowl with everything you would want in your burrito, then ask for two warm tortillas on the side. Since you now know that bowls generally have more food, you now effectively have two burritos for the price of one bowl.
There's a TikTok video from a food vlogger named Kelsey Lynch that's going viral … which shows you how to get a burrito at Chipotle for $2. You order a tortilla, then a side of beans and a side of cheese.And ask the person working, very nicely, to put the beans and cheese inside the tortilla.
Is a Bowl Healthier Than a Burrito? A bowl may be a healthier option based on how you build it. A bowl with higher-calorie ingredients like pollo asado, guacamole, sour cream, and cheese or queso Blanco can have 1,120 calories, 66g of fat, and 80 g of carbs.
So Is Chipotle Healthy? The answer is yes! Chipotle can be quite healthy if you follow the simple guidelines above. Stick with the brown rice over the white rice, try to stay away from the chips or fried tortillas, and load up on fresh veggies and toppings.
The comments section on the TikTok was filled with concern from those who were worried about Chipotle catching on to the trend. Well, that time has come. Food & Wine reports that the option to order a single taco through Chipotle's online-ordering system is no longer available, rendering the $3 burrito hack useless.
For example, a bean and cheese burrito or a bowl with just rice, beans, and fajitas. Each ingredient would be considered “1 point,” and an entree with up to three points costs less.
The cheapest item at Chipotle was the tortilla chips without salsa or guacamole. For just $1.85, who could ask for more? The thin chips shattered with a satisfying crunch, leaving flaky salt and a bit of oil on my fingers.
Always get the chipotle bowl. It can hold the way more food than a tortilla or taco shell. And if you're really craving that tortilla, you can get it on the side. You can actually get every item on the side.
According to Business Insider, the fast-casual chain has added a 25-cent charge for any side tortillas, which used to be free. Customers often ordered them with a burrito bowl as a "hack" to get more food than if they just ordered a regular burrito because the bowls have more ingredients.
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