Chipotle wants you to know it takes its portion sizes seriously

Chipotle’s chief executive, Brian Niccol, doesn’t take the allegations that the chain is skimping on its burrito bowls lightly. 

As the chain reported stellar earnings on Wednesday, Niccol at several points addressed the social media fury the chain has faced from users who say the size of their burrito bowls vary widely. (There’s some truth to that, Wells Fargo analysts found.)

Niccol said there was never a formal directive to shrink portions and that the company would retrain about 10% of its “outlier” stores that served smaller or inconsistent portions. 

“We have focused in on those with outlier portion scores based on consumer surveys, and we are re-emphasizing training and coaching around ensuring we are consistently making bowls and burritos correctly,” Niccol said. “We have also leaned in and re-emphasized generous portions across all of our restaurants, as it is a core brand equity of Chipotle."

Chipotle had a successful quarter, with same-store sales up 11.1%, the biggest jump since the quarter ended December 2021. Overall, revenue increased 18.2% to $3 billion. Investors welcomed the news, sending its stock price up in after-hours trading.