Chipotle Promises Larger Portions After Widespread Customer Complaints
Chipotle is finally doing something about its reported skimpy portioning issues. Inconsistent portion sizes have been widely discussed and documented on social media, causing customers to wonder whether or not they're getting their actual money's worth anymore. It even got to the point where this past June, a team of Wells Fargo analysts ordered 75 of the same exact burrito bowl (white rice, black beans, chicken, cheese, lettuce, and pico de gallo) to see if there were any variations — and found that portion sizes varied wildly sometimes (via Fortune). Online orders seemed to be affected the most; the heaviest online order was 87% more substantial than the skimpiest one, which came in at a mere 13.8 ounces.
The chain originally positioned itself defensively about the issue. Laurie Schalow, chief corporate affairs and food safety officer at Chipotle even told Forbes this past May, "there have been no changes in our portion sizes, and we have reinforced proper portioning with our employees." In July, Chipotle's then-CEO, Brian Niccol, blamed the portion issue on a small percentage of outlier restaurants and promised to reign them in.
Now, the brand is singing a different tune. Chipotle's interim CEO Scott Boatwright has said definitively in an earnings call this past Tuesday that the company has been taking control of the issue by "ensuring consistent and generous portions." Per Boatright, the brand has already begun implementing its new focus on portion sizes, so Chipotles across the country should be doling out the hefty meals the chain is known for.
People were so frustrated they began filming Chipotle employees making their orders
At one point people became so frustrated with their perceived lack of portion sizes that some took drastic measures to try and get larger portion sizes. One tactic involved customers recording employees with their cell phones, and if the customer felt as if they were getting small scoops, they'd simply walk out on their order. But that led to some really unhappy Chipotle employees, who naturally felt harassed for simply trying to execute the duties of their job, leading to posts on Reddit pleading for people to stop the practice.
@seans_lif3
Obviously, unhappy customers are a problem for any company, and executives from Chipotle stated in the earnings call that they consider the return to larger portions as an investment. Large portions are a core part of Chipotle's identity, and Boatwright said that the focus on portion size was already having a positive effect on customer reactions on social media. Perhaps this change will reverse the trend of people falling out of love with Chipotle.