Why Reddit Says You Should Skip Chipotle For Online Orders

Fans of Chipotle love the chain's fresh ingredients and burritos made right before their eyes. The food is tasty, there's a great variety, and even though guacamole costs extra, it's usually a good deal. But some customers have noticed a major problem with Chipotle's online ordering — many diners suggest skipping online ordering because the results are often inferior or incorrect.

Tasting Table already listed Chipotle among chains you should never order takeout from for this very reason. Portion sizes keep shrinking, and without customers there to monitor preparation, online orders often turn out even worse. In the last year, numerous Redditors have expressed frustration with Chipotle's underwhelming portion sizes and inaccurate orders.

One post on Reddit shows a bowl that was supposed to have double chicken and instead seems to have half chicken. Another Reddit user complained that their bowl was missing some items but included others they never even wanted. Another poster explained their online orders are never the same as those made in person. There's always too little salsa or guac, which is just one more reason to avoid ordering Chipotle guacamole altogether.

Posts detailing similar complaints date back years. One Reddit thread even created a graph showing how much get less food overall comes in an online order compared to an in-person one. The poster, who claimed to have worked at Chipotle, said their manager told employees to use fewer ingredients in online orders.

Chipotle's reputation for skimping on online orders is far from a new phenomenon. The chain, once famous for massive burritos, was called out dramatically in a Reddit thread from 2023 where a user posted a photo of a tiny burrito. The user said they called Chipotle to complain and were told every burrito is made the same way. They were also told that if they were unhappy, they should have asked for more while it was being made.

In 2022, a viral TikTok claimed to have caught Chipotle employees filling online orders using only half spoonfuls of ingredients. A top comment came from someone who said they worked at Chipotle and were told by a manager to use less in online orders, echoing similar Reddit complaints. Another TikToker tested the theory by placing the same order online and in person before weighing each. The online order weighed five ounces less.

Chipotle is aware of the size discrepancy between in-person and online orders, and the CFO even commented on it in 2020. Unfortunately for customers, he wasn't taking their side. According to Business Insider, CFO Jack Hartung blamed it on pressure from the customers. Employees see a customer staring at them and think, "Oh, I better put another scoop in." So the smaller portions given in online orders are what you are supposed to get. But for customers used to larger in-person portions, this feels unfair since the chain has already set expectations. You should probably consider not ordering online to be one of the unwritten rules about visiting Chipotle that you need to follow.