TikToker Says Chipotle Charged Him $25 for a Bowl, Blasts "Outrageous" Price Hikes

TikToker @robertbuckmon posted a clip that resonated with a lot of Chipotle customers when he went on a rant against the popular food franchise for charging him $25 for a Steak burrito bowl that included an extra portion of meat along with guacamole and queso.

Many other users on the platform expressed that it seems like the prices of Chipotle's food have not been commensurate with the portions they are giving to customers. Mashed wrote that in recent years franchise locations "did crack down on portion control" and are forcing its employees to be more strict with how much food they are giving its patrons.

Robert says in the video, "I just want y'all to know Chipotle has made a villain out of me tonight. So I'm already not the biggest Chipotle fan but I said I'mma go since it's close. So I go there and I move money over like, I'm expecting to pay like $15, $16 dollars for the bowl. So I get there get a steak bowl so she puts a little scoop of steak in there."

Typically, Chipotle uses 4-ounce cups to measure the amount of proteins in the bowls/burritos they make for customers. The TikToker continues, "I'm like baby I need a little bit more, can you put a little more so she's like OK. So she put the red tag and I get the guaco and the queso cause you know, that's what comes with, you know, I feel like that's what should be in a bowl."

Robert says he was shocked once he saw the total of the bowl and even asked to check the itemized receipt to ensure that he was being charged the correct amount, "I get up there she [mimics POS input noises] ringing stuff up, I see twenty-five dollars y'all. Twenty-five dollars and I'm not saying, it's 25 American dollars, not 25 pesos, 25 dollars. I said, I said how much is the total? She said oh it's $25.13."

"I said oh no baby let me see that receipt. Let me see it. So she hands the receipt and I'm looking at the itemized stuff and I pay for it because y'all I'm not one of those people who's not gonna pay for the food like I'mma pay for my food and complain later. But I get that thing and y'all when I tell you, Chipotle count, your days because you'll never get that opportunity to screw me ever again like that in your life."

Robert concluded his tirade against the fast-casual Mexican-inspired-fare chain by stating, "That's why I go to Qdoba. Cause Qdoba's all-inclusive. You get your guac, you get your queso and it's all included. I'm truly a villain tonight. Call me the Joker."

Robert isn't the only person to recently go viral online for calling out Chipotle's serving sizes and portions. In February of 2022, another TikToker accused the chain of intentionally giving smaller portion sizes to online orders, stating that even when they paid for extra protein, they still received only a small amount of meat in their order.

In 2021, Chipotle had to shell out $25 million in fines as a result of criminal charges that arose from claims of customers contracting illnesses from food "tainted" with norovirus outbreaks between 2015-2018. The United States Department of Justice said it was the largest fine ever imposed on a business when it came to food safety.

General Jody Hunt, who is an assistant attorney of the US JD's civil department said, "This case highlights why it is important for restaurants and members of the food services industry to ensure that managers and employees consistently follow food safety policies. The Department of Justice will vigorously enforce food safety laws in order to protect public health."

There have been several "ordering hacks" Chipotle-loving TikTokers have shared with other users online in a bid to help them drive the cost down of their orders at the chain.

One that's been making the rounds on social media was a $3 "burrito hack" that instructs customers to order sides and add-ons in separate containers, along with an additional tortilla. If the "trick" works correctly, the patrons will receive a plethora of sides in separate containers that they then must assemble themselves.

Some has espoused this ordering methodology in a bid to ensure that they're getting a sizable amount of portions and so that they can clearly see how much food they are getting.

TikTokers who viewed and commented on Robert's post expressed that they feel like they're getting way less bang for their buck whenever they order at Chipotle than what they did years ago. One user wrote: "I remember when it was $6-7 and they gave you so much it could last 2 meals. Now it’s like $15 and I’m still hungry after."