The Chipotle Kid's Meal Tip That's Been Hiding In Plain Sight

It's no secret that Chipotle can get a bit pricey. Once you add an additional protein, a dollop of queso or that much-needed scoop of guacamole, a Chipotle burrito or bowl costs a good chunk of change. The restaurant has also raised its prices multiple times over the past few years, causing customers to search for any type of menu hack that might save them a few bucks. So next time you're headed to Chipotle, channel your inner child by ordering the quesadilla meal off the kid's menu.

When it comes to the do's and don't of eating at Chipotle, ordering a kid's meal is a resounding "do." The menu may call it a "kid's meal," but the portions are enough to happily feed a grown adult — especially those who can never seem to finish a whole burrito. The fast casual Mexican restaurant will serve you up a kid's meal regardless of your age, as many customers have discovered. 

This hack was all over social media after creators showed off their customized quesadilla meals with two sides, kid's size chips or fruit, and a drink, all for approximately $5 — adding additional sides like guac will run up the bill. Even so, the base price for the quesadilla kid's meal is shockingly low considering all the food it offers.

While certain Chipotle hacks seem too good to be true, this one has been right in front of us the whole time, it's a wonder more people don't take advantage of it. While price may vary, $4.95 will get you a cheese quesadilla, one scoop each of rice and beans, a kid's size fruit or bag of Chipotle's delicious chips, and your choice or milk, apple juice, iced tea or soda. If you want to add a protein to your cheese quesadilla (and guac counts as a protein!), it will only cost an additional 60 cents (depending on location). There's also a kids meal build-your-own taco option that offers two taco shells, a protein, two toppings, plus the chips or fruit, and a drink for $5.95. However, the quesadilla meal seems to provide a bit more food for the price point.

Chipotle fans on Reddit confirmed that this hack saved them a pretty penny — and they still left feeling full. One user wrote, "I always get the kid's meal! It's the perfect amount of food." Another Redditor who frequently takes advantage of the kid's meal hack found another added bonus, writing, "In my experience, they ran out of kid sized chip bags and cups so they would give me a regular. It really was a win-win!"

Some restaurants and fast casual dining establishments have very strict rules about who can order their kid's meals. At these establishments, cashiers are required to point you in the direction of the meal offerings for "grown ups" if you're clearly over the age of twelve. Lucky for Chipotle lovers, the rules don't appear to be explicitly spelled out for employees. Chipotle has never officially confirmed that the kid's meal menu offering has no age restriction, but they have never outright denied it either, leaving many to test the theory for themselves.

While many grown content creators have shared their successful kid's meal purchases on TikTok, it was on a Reddit thread on r/Chipotle where current and former employees confirmed just how casual the fast casual restaurant is about who buys their kid's meals. One user wrote, "I worked there for a while and got kids meals myself because the burritos and bowls were way too much for me to have." Another claimed it's more of a hassle to make the meal due to the disruption in assembly line flow, but they don't really care how old the person ordering is. Overall, as long as you're kind and patient with employees, most of them won't bat an eye at an adult ordering from the kid's menu.