Things You Should Never Order At Chipotle
We all love a good Chipotle run when we don't have the energy to make something at home and have a craving for fast food but want something that's going to be a bit healthier than your standard Big Mac or Whopper. But don't be fooled into thinking that Chipotle is the answer to all of your fast casual dining problems. The chain has some items on its menu that aren't as healthy as you might think, and it's certainly had its fair share of scandals and publicized shady practices.
There are some amazing items on the menu for you to choose from. A burrito bowl is clearly always a good option, and the Lifestyle bowls are great for those who want to choose one of the healthier items on the menu. But not every meal you'll find at Chipotle is that good for you ... or that good of a value.
Before the next time you decide to make your way to Chipotle, you should learn about what menu items to avoid. You may just be saving yourself some money or improving your health when you do.
Carnitas bowl
When you think of the bowls at Chipotle, you probably think of a meal that's actually relatively healthy. While you can create a bowl your body will thank you for, not every burrito bowl is created equal. Case in point: the carnitas bowl. Eat This, Not That! listed this meal as the fifth-worst option on the menu at Chipotle (and considering the size of the menu, that really says something).
The choice of carnitas is what really makes this bowl unhealthy, but it's even worse if you add on the sour cream, cheese, and guacamole. Add to that the roasted chili-corn salsa, the brown rice, some black beans, and some veggies, and you're looking at a whopping 1,070 calories. That's probably a lot more than you'd assume. While making this bowl into a burrito would be worse, you don't even need to add the white flour tortilla to make this meal less than ideal.
But if you simply must have that carnitas, you may want to take off the sour cream and the cheese. Pile up on the veggies instead of the rice, and don't overdo it on the beans. Or, hey, just enjoy it. It's still probably better for you than a burger.
Tacos
Chipotle is known for a lot of things. Burritos. Bowls. E. Coli outbreaks. But one thing it's not known for? Its tacos. Seriously, is Chipotle's anyone's first choice when it comes time to get tacos? It really doesn't have to do much with the ingredients, since we like those in all our other Chipotle orders. For most people, it just comes down to being a bad deal.
If you want to get the most bang for your buck, the tacos at Chipotle are probably not going to be your thing. According to a Reddit user who used to work at a Chipotle, ordering tacos is a waste of money. KourageWolf said, "I used to work at Chipotle, and never ever ever order the tacos. You get less than half the regular portions. Instead, order a bowl with whatever you want in it, then ask for the taco shells, hard or soft, on the side."
So there you have it: If you're really craving tacos and just happen to find yourself at a Chipotle, don't order the tacos upfront. You may have a bit more work to do in the assembly department, but your wallet (and your stomach) will thank you.
Any burrito
The same rule that applies to tacos also applies to the burritos on the menu. You'll get significantly less food if you order the tacos, but you could also be selling yourself short if you order the burritos as well. That's because according to a Reddit user, Chipotle employees actually hate making burritos since they can be hard to roll. The more stuffed your burrito is, the harder it is to roll. Therefore, employees may put less food in your burrito to make it easier on themselves.
The solution? Just order a burrito bowl and get the tortilla on the side. It gives you a chance to practice your very best burrito-wrapping skills, and you'll probably get a bit more food than you would otherwise. Plus, if you're trying to opt for something healthier, then you'll likely want to leave out the tortilla all together. Don't worry: All the good stuff is inside.
Sofritas soft flour tacos
We're often told to cut back on the meat in our diets, so it makes sense that going with a veggie option might seem like it makes more sense. Luckily for all the vegetarians and vegans out there, Chipotle offers a protein alternative to all of its meat options: the delicious and oh-so-flavorful sofritas. This tofu scramble-like goodness is seasoned with lots of herbs and spices, giving it an irresistible flavor. But you may be surprised that ordering the sofritas soft flour tacos aren't as healthy as you might have anticipated.
As a carb-laden dish, it's not surprising that these tacos will land you at around 1,270 calories for a serving once you add all the fixings. It's also got a ton of salt in it, which definitely isn't ideal if you're watching your blood pressure. On top of that, it also boasts 14.5 grams of sugar.
While the veggie protein probably isn't a bad idea, you might want to stay away from a bunch of these other extras – especially the flour tortillas.
"Fresh" salsa
One of the reasons that Chipotle is more appealing than a lot of other fast food brands out there comes down to the fact that it seems a lot fresher than the food you'd get at other places. You certainly wouldn't expect a veggie-packed burrito bowl from Burger King, after all. You may be surprised to learn, however, that not everything that looks fresh at Chipotle actually is.
Ironically, even though it literally has "fresh" in the name, the fresh salsa at Chipotle really isn't all that fresh, according to employees. One Reddit user posted in an AMA: "It's not fresh, yet it's the only thing they advertise as 'fresh' on the line, whereas many other things on there are made in house that day.".
That's good to know, especially considering Chipotle's reputation in the food safety department. Our advice? Skip out on the salsa if you want to make sure you're only ordering the freshest things on the menu. There are plenty of other delicious (and presumably fresh) veggies to choose from, anyway.
Carnitas burrito ...
We already talked about the fact that a carnitas burrito bowl from Chipotle just doesn't make the cut in the health department. So it makes sense that an actual burrito made from the same ingredients would be even worse for you, right? Yup – that's why the carnitas burrito ranks as the third-worst item to order at Chipotle by Eat This, Not That! When paired with certain ingredients including white rice, cheese, and sour cream, you can expect to down 1,390 calories in one sitting with this burrito (providing that you don't save some for later).
Shockingly, this burrito has more than a day's worth of salt, which should stop you in your tracks right there. But then when you consider the fact that it also has well over the recommended daily helping of saturated fat, you know it's something you probably want to avoid. Add in all the sugar from the flour tortilla, and you've sealed the deal.
Maybe if it's the only thing you're eating all day, go for it. Otherwise, it may just be smarter to steer clear of the carnitas burrito.
Really anything with the carnitas meat
Okay, we've already mentioned a few of the carnitas options on the menu that you should steer clear of. While the fat-heavy toppings like cheese, sour cream, and guacamole don't exactly make those menu items healthier, it's not the toppings that you should be really worried about — rather, it's the carnitas meat itself. It's one of the fattiest items on the menu, and not in the good-for-you kind of way.
Even if you aren't worried about your fat or calorie intake, though, you should probably try to steer clear of the carnitas as much as possible. Compared to a lot of the other proteins on the menu, it's pretty flavorless and bland. A Quora user who worked at Chipotle even said as much. Apparently it doesn't smell very fresh when it's being cooked, either.
Our suggestion? Just pass up the carnitas altogether if you want something that's healthy or that tastes good. There are so many other, more delicious items on the menu at Chipotle.
Steak
Speaking of good protein options on the Chipotle menu, here's another one that's not: the steak. When you hear the word "steak," you're probably reminded of medium-rare strips of meat cooked to perfection and covered in the best spices that create a meaty, melt-in-your-mouth experience. Unfortunately, that's not exactly what you're going to get at Chipotle.
While you may have hoped that the steak you find at this chain restaurant was nice and juicy, it's actually quite tough. Some may even say it's chewy, which is the last thing you want from a piece of steak, whether you're eating it on its own or it's all wrapped up in a burrito and smothered with guac. One Quora user summed up the way we feel pretty well, saying, "I would avoid the steak. I tried it three times and each time it is tough as rubber."
The chicken? Amazing. The sofritas? To die for. The steak? You're better off passing it up and choosing something else entirely.
Chips
Here's one menu item that you may not have expected to see. It's probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you eat at Chipotle, but if you receive your order without it, it'll just feel wrong. That's right: the chips. You may feel like these little golden-fried triangles of sunshine would be a somewhat innocuous, harmless addition to your burrito bowl, and the provider of crunch your food needs. Unfortunately, though, the chips you'll find at Chipotle are actually pretty bad for you.
Surprisingly enough, Eat This, Not That! even rated the chips as the second least-healthy option on the menu. Wow ... that's saying a lot. How did they earn this rating, you might ask? They have almost the same number of calories as a whole Big Mac. And you just thought they were a side dish, right?
When you add in the 420 mg of sodium per (small) serving, you can see why the chips shouldn't be your first choice on the menu. That's especially true if you're ordering a burrito or tacos too. It may seem difficult to turn this crunchy treat down, but you should save your corn chip allowance for another, more authentic restaurant.
White rice
Another item on the menu that might not seem too unhealthy at first glance is the white rice. After all, it's such a basic ingredient. How could it be that bad for you? But white rice is surprisingly unhealthy, especially if you consume a large portion of it or you're attempting to watch your weight. While it's not terrible for you, it does contain plenty of sodium and carbs, which you may be trying to consume less of.
If you're ordering a taco or a burrito, you'll want to skip the rice entirely because you're already getting your carbs in when you order a shell. But if you want a burrito bowl, you can still order rice — just choose the brown stuff instead. Not only does it have less sodium than white rice, but it also has more fiber as well.
It may not seem like that big of a deal to choose brown rice over white rice, and you may not even notice the difference when it comes to taste. But one thing is for sure: You know you'll be doing something positive for your health when you make this decision the next time you order from Chipotle.
Quesarito
When you're thinking about what to order from Chipotle, there are a lot of factors that contribute to your decision. Of course, you first have to think about what you want to eat. Then, you need to choose the healthiest items that align with your appetite. But one thing you may not think about (but definitely should) is the employees who are making your food.
If you've ever worked in the service industry before, you know how challenging it can be. Not only do you have to do everything at what seems like breakneck speed, but you also have to deal with grumpy and unhappy customers on a regular basis. Doesn't exactly sound like a good time. Therefore, you know that these people deserve your kindness, and when it comes to some items on the menu, your mercy.
One secret menu item that every Chipotle employee hopes you don't order is the quesarito. It's basically a burrito inside of a quesadilla. Yes, it's delicious. Yes, it's probably terrible for you. And yes, it's a total pain to make. People who work at Chipotle really, really hate making quesaritos. Like, a lot. So much so that you can even find articles written on this subject alone. If you can avoid ordering this item at all, you should. But if you just have to have it, make sure you order when it's not busy — and tip well.
Pre-mixed ingredients
Some people are especially picky when they order from a restaurant, and they want everything made to their exact specifications. And if you've ever worked at a Chipotle (or pretty much any other similar restaurant), you know that employees usually have to honor these requests, no matter how strange or annoying they may be.
One of the requests that Chipotle employees get a lot is for pre-mixed ingredients. See, some people apparently want every bite to taste exactly the same, so they ask the employee to mix up all the ingredients in the burrito. Not only does this look disgusting for the customer, but it's also a huge pain for the employee, especially if there's a long line of customers growing ever more impatient.
Our suggestion? Just ask for a fork when you're checking out. When you get your food, take open up the burrito and mix the ingredients to your heart's content. Put it all back together and dig in. That wasn't so hard, was it?
Steak salad
Generally, when you order a salad, you probably think you're getting a relatively healthy meal. But as we've seen from other fast food restaurants, salads aren't always the healthiest item on the menu. Still, Chipotle isn't exactly McDonald's, so you might assume it's a safe place to order a salad from. Well, that's not actually the case, according to Eat This, Not That! In fact, the website ranked this as the very worst meal you could order from the popular fast casual chain.
Why? You just have to take a quick look at the ingredients to get an idea of why it's something you should probably skip. With steak, white rice, black beans, sour cream, guac, and more, this salad has more calories than the worst tacos and the worst bowls on the menu ... and that's really saying something.
If you're going to down over 1,300 calories in a meal, you probably don't want to waste it on a salad. Skip this "healthy" choice and go for a bowl instead. Your stomach and your taste buds will be grateful.