Chipotle boss tells customers complaining about shrinking burrito bowls to use three simple words

Chipotle’s boss has revealed the three words customers should use if they think their burrito bowl is looking a little sad: ‘A little more.’

Scott Boatwright, the chain’s CEO, was asked about long-running complaints that Chipotle’s once-heaping bowls and burritos have been quietly shrinking.

His answer was simple – just ask.

‘You should ask for a little more,’ Boatwright told Yahoo Finance’s Power Players podcast. 

‘It has always been our brand ethos and it is still to this day, we serve big beautiful bowls and burritos.’ 

‘Full stop, no questions asked. If you want more, just ask the team member. I promise you there’s never a team member on that line that’s going to say no.’    

‘For some Chipotle customers, customizing their burrito bowls really is that easy – with online orders there’s the options to do ‘light,’ ‘extra’ or ‘on the side’ for most items.’ 

The clip quickly spread online, racking up more than 1.6 million views on X, where customers lined up to say the CEO’s answer missed one crucial detail – asking for more often means paying for more. 

‘Ask for more: “that’s $3 extra”,’ one person wrote. Another said: ‘They won’t say no and they’ll charge you an extra $3. No problem.’

‘I don’t understand this at all,’ one X user wrote. ‘Chipotle should be giving you the serving you paid for. When people ask for more, it’s clearly because the server gave them less than they were supposed to.’

It is not the first time a Chipotle executive has commented on disappointing portions. In 2024, former CEO Brian Niccol said that Chipotle had found more than 10 percent of its 3,500 locations were scoring poorly on portion sizes.

‘We’ll invest in it, and we’ll figure out how to make sure we consistently do it every time,’ he said, adding that the company was ‘committed to making this investment to reinforce that Chipotle stands for a generous amount of delicious, fresh food at fair prices for every customer visit.’  

But according to some customers, portion sizes haven’t improved. Just weeks ago, one Chipotle customer was devastated to receive a burrito that was barely the size of his palm. 

The customer, who said they rarely treat themselves to the chain, was ‘heated’ after they spent $12.28 on the tiny burrito. They shared two pictures of the underwhelming meal on Reddit, one where the burrito was compared to the size of their hand. 

‘I am upset. I thought the [gold] wrapping made it look small but no,’ the customer wrote.

While some have fumed over Chipotle’s shrinking portions – others have welcomed them. 

Late last year, the chain launched a GLP-1-friendly menu with smaller, higher-protein options. 

The menu featured various items like special protein cups and high-fiber bowls – such as the High Protein Cup with Adobo Chicken, a four-ounce side chicken ‘packed with flavor’ coming in at 180 calories and 32g of protein starting at $3.50.

‘With the rise of GLP-1s and a broader focus on macronutrients, Chipotle’s new High Protein Menu offers more ways for guests to get the protein they want in the portions that work for them, whether that is a lighter bite or a more substantial build,’ Chipotle said. 

Even limited edition menu items like the Chipotle Honey Chicken is available as a ‘High Protein Cup’ side for health-conscious diners.