For The Most Bang For Your Buck, Order The Burrito Bowl When You're At Chipotle

There is no doubt that the business model for fast-casual dining has evolved, and Chipotle has been at the forefront of that evolution since its 1993 inception. The brand's emphasis on quality ingredients and customizable meals makes it unsurprising that the quick-service chain is one of the top 10 most popular for customer satisfaction in the United States, according to data collected on Statista. Chipotle is enjoyed by roughly a million diners each day, and among those orders, there are countless variations. One of the most beloved items is the burrito bowl, which may be due in part to the generous amount of all the proteins, grains, veggies, sauces, and garnishes that customers can request when building their ideal combinations. 

What's more, when considering the best value meal Chipotle has to offer, the burrito bowl appears to be the tried and true choice. When tested against the other customizable dish formats at Chipotle, the burrito bowl builds an especially budget-friendly case.

Menu prices at Chipotle vary by type of item, choice of protein, and the addition of premium toppings, like the Queso Blanco sauce or ever-so-delicious guacamole. Barring these variables, burrito bowls, at their most basic price, are seemingly more expensive than some other dishes. They are similar to Chipotle salads, but they swap the base of greens with a base of rice, beans, or fajita veggies.

Despite the price differences, the savviest Chipotle enthusiasts have concluded that ounce for ounce, a burrito bowl is the most cost-effective order a customer can make. Members of the Chipotle subreddit claim that ordering a burrito bowl with a tortilla on the side gives customers more food for the same price as some of its other items, most notably the burrito. Business Insider tested this claim, comparing the weight of a burrito bowl's contents with those of its wrapped namesake.

Sure enough, for the same price, ordering a burrito bowl means ordering significantly more food. In that specific case, the bowl's weight was astoundingly almost 71% more than the burrito's.

It should be noted that, after Business Insider proved the economical power of a burrito bowl in 2013, Chipotle started charging extra for tortillas on the side, albeit only 25 cents a piece as of 2020. Still, burrito bowls with a tortilla on the side can be an efficient choice for the difference in food yielded by each order.

While impressive in its own right, sticking to burrito bowls is far from the only hack Chipotle's devoted customers have discovered. Among others is the order that'll get you two burritos for the price of one and the half-and-half order that will get you a bigger portion of protein. With numerous items at Chipotle, there seems to be a way to get more bounce for the ounce. Next time you're hankering for the goods from the Mexican grill, you may want to give one of these ordering hacks a go.