“I want to take a minute to address the portion concerns that have been brought up in social media,” Niccol said. “There was never a directive to provide less to our customers. Generous portions is a core brand equity of Chipotle. It always has been and always will be.”
Since opening in 1993, Chipotle has been the target of eaters seeking ways to game its assembly line for bigger bowls and burritos, from batting their lashes at employees to changing up the sequence of ingredients in their orders.
A new phenomenon has complicated the game for those trying to maximize their caloric yield.
Over the last few years and across industries, consumers have become more attuned to — and irritated by — “shrinkflation.” That happens when companies quietly cut the size of products but don’t reduce their prices.
Niccol reiterated during Chipotle’s second-quarter shareholder meeting this week that the company is committed to “generous” portions in its burritos and bowls. He showed that by using the word four times in 88 seconds.
The internet criticism had been swelling for months, but it reached a new level when wildly popular internet food reviewer Keith Lee, a onetime Chipotle collaborator, backed the burrito-bowl betrayal claims.
Lee has earned 16.4 million TikTok followers by traveling around the country to review restaurants. Many have benefited from a jump in popularity dubbed the “Keith Lee effect.”
Lee collaborated with Chipotle to introduce the “Keithadilla” last year. But his stance shifted in a TikTok review he posted May 3.
“I used to love Chipotle,” he began by saying. “Lately, Chipotle has not hit the same, in my opinion.” He went on to dig through his chicken bowl and found little poultry. “See, I don’t see no chicken at all,” he said. He even rated his formerly favorite steak quesadilla a 2½ out of 10, saying it “tastes like Steak-umms.”
Some people made their displeasure known by leaving one-star reviews on Chipotle’s app. Others took it to the streets, posting videos of themselves starting an order but walking out of the restaurant midway if they felt they weren’t getting their money’s worth.
Niccol told investors that the backlash prompted soul-searching. He said the company, which has 3,500 restaurants, will retrain staff at locations where customer surveys showed inappropriate servings.
“We have also leaned in and reemphasized generous portions across all of our restaurants, as it is a core brand equity of Chipotle,” Niccol told investors. “Our guests expect this now more than ever, and we are committed to making this investment to reinforce that Chipotle stands for a generous amount of delicious, fresh food at fair prices for every customer, every visit.”
Customers have already responded positively to the changes in surveys, he said.
“We still continue to listen to and treasure our guests to earn every transaction,” Niccol said.
