Some people go crazy over the Mexican chain which serves up burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and burrito bowls. Contrary to what my waist would say, I love all of those foods. Just not from Chipotle.
I’ve dined at the restaurant many times, and each time I go, I hope to fall in love with it, just as so many people do. However, I’m always underwhelmed with my experience. By no means am I claiming it’s terrible, but if I was to never go there in my life again, I wouldn’t be mad.
Listed below are the five main reasons I believe Chipotle is an overrated restaurant.
1. The line is always long
No matter what time of the day you arrive, waiting to order food is part of the Chipotle experience. With their fast food-style dining, I just want to get in and out of the restaurant as soon as possible. The only thing I’d waste my time waiting in line would be for a sushi burrito.
2. It’s putting a dent in your wallet
With a fast-food style restaurant, it should meet two standards. 1. it’s quick and 2. it’s cheap. A chicken burrito with guac, a side of chips, and a small drink adds up to a hefty 13 dollars.
For all that money, you can have a sit down dinner. Chili’s Three for Me allows you to have an app, fajitas, AND dessert for $10. Even with a 20% tip, your meal will be way more enjoyable, cheaper, and more delicious.
3. It’s not as healthy as you think
Sodium levels in the food are also crazy high. Foods such as salsas and meat, combine together, and soon enough, you’re over your recommended intake for the day (granted, dietary guidelines advise 2300 milligrams of salt, equivalent to only one teaspoon of salt). Excess sodium can lead to high blood pressure, kidney disease, and risk of stroke.
Besides the fats, most items at Chipotle are extremely calorie-dense. It may seem that eating a burrito bowl is healthy; I mean, how bad could the rice, meat, and veggies be for you? Even if you choose to not get cheese, and sour cream, your “healthy bowl” is adding over 500 calories to your daily food intake. By adding cheese, you add 100 more calories.
I was shocked to see how my old go-to order stacked up to over half of my recommended daily calorie intake. As delicious as it is, one of the worst mistakes that can be made is by adding guacamole. Just because it’s green does not mean it’s healthy. According to Chipotle’s nutrition calculator, it adds a whopping 230 calories.
4. Guac is extra
The best part of any Mexican dish (or let’s face it, any meal) is guacamole. The holy grail food I call one of my favorites is smooth and creamy and flavorful. However, they try to charge customers over two bucks for a scoop of their mediocre spread.
Save the money, and buy yourself an avocado, and flavor it up any way you’d like. Not to mention, its business competitors, Qdoba and Moe’s, don’t charge a penny to add what truly makes any Mexican meal complete.
5. They have some serious contamination issues
Back in 2015, over one hundred and fifty Chipotle customers fell ill with E. coli. While the restaurant took extreme precautions, closing locations in 43 states in order to sanitize the restaurant as well as dispose any contaminated food, it makes me wonder if something like this will happen again.
As you can see, I won’t be in a hurry to step into a Chipotle anytime soon.