A TikToker Caught Chipotle Workers Allegedly Cheating Online Orders

Have you ever ordered something online through DoorDash or GrubHub? Have you ever placed an order for delivery from your favorite pizza restaurant? Chances are, a good portion of those reading this probably have at least once in their lives. While no doubt most of those working in the service sector, be they delivery drivers or in the restaurant themselves, are upstanding everyday people, how sure can you be that someone somewhere in that chain isn't trying to pull one over on you? 

The idea that employees in the service industry can cheat a customer has happened before. In 2014, a 7-Eleven cashier was caught short-changing customers by shaving a few cents off what they were supposed to get back (via KATU). In 2022, an UberEats delivery driver was caught stealing food from his customer's order, taking food out of the package, and putting it into his own personal box for later use (via Newsweek). While these things don't happen so often that you're in danger of being scammed every time you place a mobile order, when it does happen, it can leave you being a bit more cautious about placing that order. After all, how well do you really know that person behind the screen?

One TikTok video claims to show that fast-casual chain Chipotle, or at least one certain branch of the chain, may be participating in a scheme to give customers less than what they paid for.

"I caught Chipotle firsthand making online orders with only half-spoons. Ya'll should have seen the bowl before this ... it was worse."

This claim comes from TikTok user "slackedstacked," who films a Chipotle employee making what appears to be an online order. Using "half-spoons" refers to the idea that workers are placing less meat in a burrito or bowl while still charging the customer the full price. "Slackedstacked" even claims to have been banned from Twitter for posting the video. Comments on the video showed followers were shocked, although some claimed to have had suspicions that this behavior had been going on long before the video was uploaded.

"They have been doing this for years. Even if you get double protein they do this," said User123. "It's bc they don't want to make new meat or wait on new meat."

"That's why I stopped ordering online. They play games when you not there watching them make it," wrote user "Catrina."

"It's not just Chipotle it's all restaurants they give mediocre food when it's Uber eats, door dash etc," claimed user "Anna."

This isn't the first time Chipotle has been accused of being less than open with its customers. For example, Newsweek reports how some individuals discovered that their credit cards that were linked to their online accounts were being charged for large amounts of money. While Chipotle claimed there was no sign of a data breach, many customers had already begun to disconnect their cards from their accounts.