How to Hack Chipotle | Hacker News Reader

How to Hack Chipotle

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20 pointsruswick21 comments

I've known about all these by simple observation and going to Chipotle a lot.

I'm not sure I feel comfortable using the word 'hacks'. I see it more like 'more bang for your buck'.

However, a lot of people choose Chipotle for the health factor, which these 'hacks' break.

I am a runner and do weight training a few times a week. I am partial to having a 'clean diet'. Each body requires or needs different diets. Thus, I modify his suggestions to the following for myself:

(1) Get the burrito bowl. You don't need the added flour or wheat wrap, as it adds a few hundred calories you don't really need.

(2) Don't get double beans. Portion control. What's more, don't get pinto, they're the equivalent of 'white bread' or 'flour' wraps. Remember they're cooked with bacon.

Easy on the sauces. For a leaner meal, I skip on the cheese, but I get my protein through other means throughout the day, as well. Watch out for the protein-to-fat ratio.

You do well to get the rest (add fajitas, 50/50 meats and guac [good fat]!).

Pinto beans are cooked in bacon? Well now I do want them!

Actually, their pinto beans and black beans are cooked with 'some' bacon, according to Chipotle.

Right. I'd like to see the calorie count for one of these "hack" burritos.

Worked at chipotle for a few weeks in my early 20's, so I'd known about most these 'hacks' already, but I guess it never occurred to me that others didnt! So some extra info:

With the exception of meat and guac, and within reason, obviously, you can get extra everything else at no extra charge.

Don't bother with the spy-game double bean routine. When they ask 'black or pinto', say both. Seriously. They don't care.

Double, triple or quadruple up on salsas too. I usually get the corn + tomato. Sometimes the red too.

They have both hard and soft tacos and will make you quesadillas if you ask them to.

Enjoy!

I always feel like I'm getting away with murder when I ask for the onions and peppers after they skip right over them.

Same! But apparently it's a thing. I'm totally just asking for "fajitas" now.

Also, tried the Chipotle app but the app doesn't let you choose between white and brown rice :-/

Edit: but you can add special instructions at the end of the order.

Haha, I've used all of these "hacks" since 2006 :)

In addition, you can ask for "double wrapped," so they give you two tortillas. You can also ask for them to skew the tortillas a bit, so they are in the shape of a venn diagram rather than on top of each other. I've found that with this "hack," they will give you more food even if you don't ask for it. Well if you do... this happens: https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/430727_101513405...

You can basically get 2 burritos for the price of one. And don't say burrito bowls are bigger, since as you can see in the picture, the resulting burrito is larger than the basket.

This method + asking for extra everything except guac and meat is probably the highest amount of calories/$ you can get. I think it comes out to less than .4 cents per calorie, for a meal that includes most of the food groups!

They don't ask you about fajitas because those come standard on the "Fajita Burrito".

I just ask for extra.

After the rice, I ask for more rice. After the beans, I ask for more beans. After the cheese, I ask for more cheese. Those ingredients are pretty cheap, they don't charge extra for them.

I get a bowl and ask for two tortillas. I make two 2/3-sized burritos from the over-loaded bowl and have two meals for the price of one.

I've found timing is important, though. They tend to be more stingy when they're during a meal rush and more generous when it's a slow period. Between 9 and 10 PM is the best time, in my experience.

Of course, if you order online or via the app, you can't make use of some of the other hacks identified: two full bean portions and 3/2 meat combo. In that case, the wait in line might be worth it.

Love the hacks - going to definitely use the 50-50 meat next time I'm there. Unfortunately the bean hack does me no good since I don't like beans. Fajitas all the way.

I prefer QDoba to Chipotle but only marginally. Chipotle has the better quacamole, so it's definitely worth the upcharge.

You can get double of anything except for guac and meat if you just ask.

Heard it from a Chipotle employee.

I often get double meat, too, which in principle costs extra, but that information has to propagate down the line, and I'd say about 1/3 of the time it gets lost. What remains is an ethical dilemma—do I inform them that they're under-charging me and thus pay for the extra meat, or do I keep mum and get the free second serving as a bonus?

N.B. I knew about the fajitas hack—I always get vegetables in my burrito bowl.

That's not an ethical dilemma, that's a choice between you being an asshole or not. An ethical dilemma is when two choices have both a moral upside & a downside.

I donate any money I save to Médecins Sans Frontières.

$180 of Chipotle gift cards is worth significantly less than $180. So the gift card ROI is debatable.

Huh? Why?

Honestly, I have moved on from Chipotle and upgraded to Freebirds. Crushes Chipotle.

Unfortunately, in Isla Vista, CA, where Freebirds is separate from the rest of the chain (original location, long story, different owner), they see fit to overcharge starving college students, so Chipotle is still a better option (despite it requiring a bit of a bike ride).

The Habit having moved in across the street is, I think, causing them to feel the cruel sting of the free market, so maybe they'll become competitive with Chipotle once and for all.

Or you could learn to cook.

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