Chipotle CEO Denies Smaller Portion Size Claims Made on Social Media

Chipotle Mexican Grill’s CEO has denied claims that portion sizes are getting smaller at the chain restaurant, which specializes in fast food such as bowls and burritos featuring meat and a plethora of toppings.

In an interview with CNBC, CEO Brian Niccol discussed social media claims that customers are unhappy with what they allege are the restaurant’s smaller portion sizes. Niccol believes the allegations against the company go against its business plan.

Niccol said, “We’ve always said we want to give people great portions. We want to give them what they want.”

After being directly asked if the company had shrunk the portions, he added, “No, we never have. From the beginning of time with Chipotle, there were billboards that said, ‘Burritos as big as your head.’ That’s never changed.”

Niccol came forward to deny these claims after videos recently started circulating on TikTok, giving Chipotle poor reviews based on quality and portion sizes. Some content creators are even encouraging people to leave bad reviews online. Others have started advocating for customers to “record employees serving food to ensure greater portions,” according to USA Today. However, a spokesperson from Chipotle “rejected claims that it instructs employees to only serve bigger portions when a guest is recording them.”

Niccol added during the interview, “Our teams, they’re focused on giving people what they want. The whole thing’s a little silly, and it really bums me out when people do this videoing thing because it’s a little rude to our team members.”

In a separate interview with Fortune, he added that the great thing about Chipotle is that if customers want a little more meat, rice, or pico de gallo, all they have to do is tell their server. Niccol believes that to achieve great customer service, a company must give its customers what they want.

However, he added that if a customer wants to “double the amount of meat, they have to pay for it.” This is a standard practice at all Chipotle stores.

In an opinion piece for Inc., writer Bill Murphy Jr. revealed his belief that Chipotle’s reported customer issues, compared to chains such as McDonald’s and Burger King, are that the portions are flexible. He writes that those other restaurants are more consistent in their portions.

Therefore, a scoop that’s a bit smaller than a server making a bowl or burrito could lead to a smaller portion size. One that’s a bit more heavy-handed could result in a larger plate.

In April 2024, Chipotle announced its first-quarter results. It claims total revenue increased 14.1% to $2.7 billion, and comparable restaurant sales increased 7%. It opened 47 new restaurants with 43 locations, including a Chipotlane, the company’s first drive-through operation.

“We had another outstanding quarter driven by our improvement in throughput and successful marketing initiatives, including Braised Beef Barbacoa and Chicken Al Pastor, which drove strong sales and transactions. The results we are seeing from our focus on developing exceptional people, preparing delicious food and fast throughput gives me confidence that we can achieve our long-term target of more than doubling our business in North America and expanding internationally,” said Niccol.