Customers have been questioning if Chipotle has been serving less food, mainly due to various TikTok posts. However, the restaurant chain recently reassured PEOPLE that their portions are still the same.
Chipotle is standing firm on their portion sizes amidst claims circulating on TikTok, asserting that they have not cut back on the amount of food they serve to customers.
In a statement to PEOPLE, Laurie Schalow, Chipotle’s chief corporate affairs and food safety officer, reiterated that “there have been no changes in [the company’s] portion sizes.”
Laurie also emphasized that customers have always had the option to request more or less food when assembling their meals.
“Our goal is to provide an exceptional experience every time. Our meals have always been fully customizable, allowing guests to either vocalize or select their preferred portions digitally when choosing from our ingredients,” she stated.
The controversy surrounding Chipotle’s portion sizes gained traction when TikTok star and food critic Keith Lee shared his experience with the chain on May 2.
Keith Lee, renowned on TikTok for his honest food reviews and for helping both local businesses and larger food chains go viral, has been a longtime fan of Chipotle. In fact, he was also partly responsible for the 2022 viral Fajita Quesadilla Hack, which Chipotle ended up adding as an official menu item in 2023. “I never imagined having my own menu item at Chipotle,” Lee said in a press release about the new item. “I’m thankful to work with Alexis and Chipotle to answer the call from the TikTok community.”
In his recent TikTok review, Lee mentioned that while he used to be a fan of Chipotle, he felt that the quality of the food “doesn’t hit the same” anymore.
Lee reviewed three of his usual favorite items: a steak quesadilla, a chicken al pastor bowl, and crispy tortilla chicken tacos. Disappointed, he rated the chicken bowl and quesadilla poorly due to cold food and meager portions of chicken in his bowl.
Following Lee’s review, other TikTok users began urging Chipotle to reconsider their portion sizes. Some even recorded themselves walking out mid-order when they felt the portions were too small, turning this act into a trend.
Interestingly, since this campaign to push back on Chipotle’s portion sizes began, some TikTok users have acknowledged that they are now receiving larger portions in their recent orders.
@trevorwallace Chipotle in 2014 vs Now
♬ original sound – trevor wallace
Self-proclaimed Chipotle employees have mentioned that their managers are now advising them to “fill up bowls, especially if the customer was seen using a phone.” Schalow confirmed to PEOPLE that “we have reinforced proper portioning with our employees.”
