Chipotle isn't getting any help from Wall Street as it tries to quell social media complaints about the fast-casual restaurant chain's portion sizes. TikTok users, including influential food critics, have been sharing images of paltry-looking portions, claim they get bigger meals when they film workers assembling their orders.
To put an end to the “weight debate,” Wells Fargo analysts recently ordered and weighed 75 identical burrito bowls from eight Chipotle locations in New York City. Half were ordered online and the other half in-store.
Their findings: The consistency of Chipotle's portions “varied widely,” with some locations selling bowls of identical orders that weighed about 33% more than other outlets, Wells Fargo analysts said in a research note. The heaviest bowls weighed as much as 87% more than the smallest, they found.
“Order consistency remains an opportunity,” Wells Fargo analysts said of Chipotle, which opened in Denver in 1993 and now operates more than 3,400 fast-casual restaurants across North America.
Chipotle dismissed the idea that it had changed its policy on portion sizes.
“Like others in the fast-casual industry, our fully customizable meals can vary in size or weight depending on how many ingredients a guest selects or if they choose to make an ingredient extra or light when ordering from our real ingredient list in person or digitally. There are no changes to our portion sizes and we strive to deliver a great guest experience every time,” a Chipotle spokesperson said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch.
Chipotle founder Steve Ells last week told a forum in Chicago that the chain had always offered generous portions. “So those who complain about portion sizes, I'm not sure I fully understand it, but I understand it's a thing.”
TikTok user Keith Lee, who has 16.4 million followers on the social media platform, said in a May 3 post video that he loved Chipotle, but the quality of its offerings has deteriorated. The message has been viewed more than 2.2 million times. Lee filmed himself eating several items from Chipotle's menu, including a bowl in which he appeared to have difficulty finding chicken. Ultimately, he found only four pieces, which he described as tasteless and cold.
TikTok user Drew Polenske agreed and also address the perceived portion size issue head-on. “I speak for everyone when I say I'm fed up with Chipotle's portion sizes and it needs to change.”
Another TikTok user posted a video in which a Chipotle employee fills his order, which appears to be full of ingredients. “The rumors are true. I held up my phone at Chipotle and they loaded my burrito,” reads a line of text in the video.
Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol shared his thoughts on the social media trend dubbed the “Chipotle Phone Method.” CNBC at the end of May that he found it “rude to our team members”.
“We're not going for all-you-can-eat, we're going for great ingredients, great culinary dishes, great bowls,” he added.
Meanwhile, it appears that any inconsistencies in Chipotle's bowl portions aren't hurting the company's bottom line or appealing to investors. Chipotle stock split 50 to 1 last weekone of the largest stock splits in the history of the New York Stock Exchange.
The stock split, the first in Chipotle's three-decade history, came after shares soared nearly 350% over the past five years to more than $3,000. As of Monday, Chipotle's shares were trading at $60.58, valuing the company at $83.2 billion.
