Chipotle customers can look forward to heftier bowls and burritos as the chain addresses concerns over portion sizes. During an investor call, CEO Brian Niccol announced measures to ensure employees at all 3,500 locations are consistently serving generous portions. “There was never a directive to provide less to our customers. Generous portions are a core brand equity of Chipotle. It always has been, and it always will be,” Niccol emphasized at the start of the call.

Reinforcing Generous Portions

Niccol explained that Chipotle is reemphasizing “generous portions” by targeting locations with outlier portion scores based on consumer surveys. These efforts have already shown positive results, with consumer scores and the chain’s value proposition remaining strong. “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 (and) fresh food at fair prices for every customer every visit,” Niccol said.

Complaints Go Viral on Social Media

The renewed focus on portion sizes comes in response to social media complaints. A viral TikTok trend, the “Chipotle Camera Trick Challenge,” has been pressuring workers to add more food to customers’ orders. This trend involves customers filming Chipotle employees with cameras, hoping to receive larger portions. TikTok user AiVideoLab shared a video of himself filming a Chipotle worker with a movie camera, captioned, “Brought my camera into Chipotle and they hooked it up #Chipotle #chipotlebowl #portionsizes #aivideolab.” The post has garnered over 2.2 million views.

Another user, ryanhitdalotto, posted a video using his cellphone to record a Chipotle worker preparing his order, which has received over 2.5 million views. TikTok creator Ace the Courageous took the challenge further, bringing multiple cameras, a boom mic, and a backdrop to a Chipotle location. Despite security attempts to remove them, the video dubbed the “Chipotle food hack,” has amassed 2.4 million views. In another experiment, creator Eric Decker filmed the workers and compared the burrito’s weight to one purchased without filming. The burrito bought with a film crew weighed more.

Chipotle’s Financial Performance

Despite portion size complaints, Chipotle’s financial performance remains robust. For the second quarter, total sales grew 18%, reaching nearly $3 billion in revenue. Additionally, Chipotle opened 53 new restaurants, reflecting the chain’s ongoing expansion. Following the investor call, Chipotle shares rose 3.8% in premarket trade and jumped almost 14%, according to Yahoo Finance. Although the stock traded down roughly 1% Thursday afternoon, the overall performance indicates strong market confidence.

Chipotle’s renewed emphasis on generous portions and its proactive response to social media trends highlight the company’s commitment to customer satisfaction. Coupled with strong financial performance, these efforts are likely to bolster Chipotle’s reputation and customer loyalty moving forward.