With almost 3,000 restaurants, Chipotle has become a household name for fast-casual Mexican food. It’s a quick stop with a good portion size and plenty of customization to suffice even the pickiest of eaters. With their tofu-based “sofritas” and guacomole, it also makes a great dining option for vegetarians!
As with any restaurant with “build your own” menu items, ordering from Chipotle isn’t the easiest; especially for those with anxiety. Thankfully, the menu is pretty consistent across their locations and hopefully by the end of this post you’ll understand the process well enough to step out of your comfort zone and wrap yourself up in a nice cozy burrito.
At the end of this post, I’ll include a script/mad lib that you can use as a starting point for when you’re ready to place your order. Before that, I’ll explain the bulk of the menu and the logistics of the restaurant.
After reading through everything, if you still have any questions on the process don’t hesitate to contact me through the form on the sidebar. I love hearing from people and want to make these guides as helpful as I possibly can!
One of the best ways to handle social anxiety surrounding ordering food is to check out the restaurant’s menu ahead of time and plan what you’d like to get. Chipotle has a fairly small core menu but a decent amount of customization options and some premium add-ons.
In this section, I’ll outline the menu items that Chipotle has in the New England area, but you should make sure to check out their website for your local store and confirm they carry what you’d like.
Before you head into the store there are a few things you should know about your order. In order of how you’ll use them, they are:
If you’ve ordered from a Subway before, or read through our guide on How to Order From Subway, you’ll probably see a striking resemblance. Once you choose the “base” of your meal, the rest is just picking which of the options you’d like. You can take or leave as many of the non-premium toppings that you want without impacting the cost of your meal. Don’t like salsa? No problem!
Now that you’ve dissected the menu and know what you like let’s head into the store. Not all Chipotle stores are the same, but the layout is standard enough that with a few key features we can figure out where to go. Typically, when you enter through the main door there will be a path straight back to the counter/menu. Sometimes this path is even separated from the “dining area” by a small half-wall (as seen below).
If you’re not 100% sure what you want or would like to double check the menu without worrying while in line, instead of going behind the half-wall just step into the dining area. You can stand back far enough that you’re not confused with someone in line but close enough that you get a solid view of the menu.
This next paragraph is an outline of the ordering process. A more detailed example script/mad lib is further below.
At the front of the line will be a long counter with a glass display case or glass partition. Behind this glass are all the different proteins, toppings, bread, etc. that make up your meal. They get cooked in the back and are stored in the counter and scooped into your meal right in front of you. This process takes the pressure of memorizing your meal since you can see everything you may have forgotten!
Whichever side of the counter the line feeds to will be where you start your order. This is where the employee will grab a tortilla for your burrito, a bowl for your salad, shell for your tacos, etc. based on which “base” you chose. The employee will then shift to the side and ask which protein you’d like. Like the breads, they’re all located in that one spot so they can quickly add it to your base. Slide down with them and follow this same process choosing your protein, beans, and rice.
The stations are typically broken out something like this:
|Base| |Protein| |Rice / Beans| |Salsa / Queso| |Toppings|
The employee may hand off your meal to a different employee at some point depending on how busy the store is and which “station” each person is assigned to, but usually only at the start of a new “station”. Just keep choosing what you’d like and stepping to the side with the employee until you finally reach the cash register.
You may also be handed off to a new employee here. If the store is particularly busy, cashier may ask what you ordered. Just tell them in order your protein + base with any premium addons so they can figure out the cost. They don’t need to know about the other toppings you ordered. (Example: “Chicken burrito with double meat and guac”).
This is also where you’d order your drink. They’ll hand it right to you (or a cup for a fountain drink) and give you a total cost. Pay for meal and you’re on your way! You did it!
I’m proud of you.
Even though the outline above is a pretty thorough outline on how to order from Chipotle, I still like to add a script to each post. It helps to put the ordering in context and can even serve as a starter to help you figure out exactly what to say. It’s not perfect for every situation, but hopefully it can help make you feel a little more comfortable placing your order. If you have any suggestions to better the script don’t hesitate to reach out through my contact form on the sidebar!
Chipotle: Hi! What can I get for you today?
You: Hi! Can I please get a (protein: Chicken, steak, barbacoa, carnitas, sofritas, or veggie) (base: burrito, burrito bowl, lifestyle bowl, quesadilla, salad, or taco)?
Chipotle: Of course! What kind of rice?
You: (rice: White, brown, cauliflower, or no rice) please.
Chipotle: Fajita veggies?
Typically they ask if you want the fajita veggies first. They’ll sometimes just say “Veggies?” or something similar. These don’t cost extra and are the sautéed onions and peppers!
Chipotle: Beans?
You: I’ll have (beans: pinto, black, no beans) please.
Chipotle: Cheese or sauce?
You: I’ll have (tomato salsa, corn salsa, green chili salsa, red chili salsa, and/or sour cream) please.
You can also ask for “light” or “just a little bit” or “extra” if you want more or less of a specific topping. If you’re asking for multiples, try not to ask all at once. Ask for one, then ask for the next one when they’re adding the first one. It helps to eliminate errors and the employee doesn’t need to try and remember all your toppings.
You: Can I also have lettuce and shredded cheese on that please?
Chipotle: Sure! Any queso or guac?
****These cost extra!****
You: (no thanks, yes please)!
During this you should be sliding over with the person putting your meal together. Eventually, once you’ve had an option for every item behind the counter, you’ll end up at the cash register. The employee may then wrap up your food and step over to the register or they may hand it off to a co-worker. If the cashier asks what you ordered, just tell them “A (protein) (base) (+ queso, guac, or extra protein if you added it)”.
Chipotle: Would you like anything else with that?
You: (yes please, no thank you)
This is where you can add chips+dip, drinks, etc.
Chipotle: Ok, that will be $_.__.
Swipe your card, thank the employee, and prepare to enjoy the delicious and cheesy flavors you just ordered all by yourself. You did it.
I’m proud of you.
