6 Reasons Your Chipotle Order Costs More Than You Expected

Have you ever ordered your usual meal at Chipotle and wondered how the total got so high?

My family loves Chipotle. We go regularly after my son’s football practice, and compared with what we spend at other chains, I still think the bowls are reasonably priced. But our order total has been going up overtime.

Some are things we happily pay for. Others, like a paper bag charge on a recent visit, catch me by surprise. If your Chipotle bill is higher than you expected, these six things may help explain why.

1. You’re Ordering From a More Expensive Location

Not every Chipotle has the same prices, even when the restaurants are close to each other.

I’ve noticed that my order costs a dollar more per bowl at the Chipotle in Greenwich, Connecticut, than at the one I visit in Rye Brook, New York. So where we stop can affect the bill.

If you’re used to the prices at one location, it’s easy to assume your usual order will cost the same at another. But that hasn’t been my experience with these two restaurants.

If you have a couple of convenient Chipotle locations nearby, compare the same order in the app with each restaurant selected. You may find that a different stop makes your usual meal a little less expensive.

2. There’s a Small Bag Charge on Your Receipt

On my last two visits to Chipotle, I noticed a 10 cent paper bag charge on my receipt. What surprised me was that nobody asked whether I wanted the bag.

At grocery stores where I shop, I’m usually given a choice: pay for a paper bag or carry my purchases without one. At Chipotle, my bowls were bagged and the charge was added without anyone asking.

I know it’s only 10 cents, but it’s the lack of choice that rubs me the wrong way. Sometimes I’d be perfectly happy carrying the bowls to the car myself.

We love Chipotle, but an extra charge for a bag I wasn’t asked about feels like being nickel-and-dimed. A simple “Would you like a bag for 10 cents?” would make a difference.

3. Your Chicken Choice Costs More Than the Regular Option

It’s easy to think of a chicken bowl as a chicken bowl, but choosing the limited-time version can change the price.

Pollo Asado and Chipotle Honey Chicken cost more than regular chicken.

In my family, my son gets excited about the limited-time meats. Honey Chicken has been a favorite, and he wants to go as soon as it becomes available.

4. Queso Has Become Part of Your Regular Order

Chipotle was clever with this one. We got a free queso offer through the app, my son tried it, and he was hooked.

Now he wants queso with every bowl. What started as a free offer has become a regular paid addition, making his usual order a little more expensive each time.

5. You’ve Added a Side You Didn’t Used to Buy

The same thing happened with the Chili Lime Chips. We got a free offer through the Chipotle app, tried them, and liked them so much that now we always order a bag.

And honestly, they’re really good. What started as a free extra has become something we look forward to having with our bowls.

Chipotle’s offers worked on us twice: first with queso, then with the chips. Both gave us a reason to try something we weren’t already buying, and both became regular purchases.

Adding a bag of chips doesn’t feel like a big expense when you’re ordering dinner for the family. But it’s another item on the receipt every visit. Even if everyone’s bowl stays exactly the same, our usual meal now costs more because it includes a side we used to skip.

6. Smaller Meat Portions Can Leave You Paying More for Enough Protein

Lately, the meat portions in my Chipotle bowls have felt smaller.

On a recent visit, I ordered beef barbacoa and felt like I barely got any beef. It seemed to be mostly sauce, with the meat shredded so finely that it disappeared into the rice.

I still enjoy the bowls, but plenty of rice and toppings doesn’t make up for a light serving of the protein I’m paying for. Sometimes I order double protein just to get the amount of meat I wanted in the first place, which makes the bowl more expensive.

Lately, I’ve been bringing my bowl home and adding a fried egg instead. It’s an easy way to give the meal a little more protein without paying Chipotle for extra meat.