It’s official: Chipotle has raised their prices for the fourth time in three years. One employee on TikTok recently broke the news in a viral video—and customers aren’t happy with the hikes.
Unfortunately, it seems everything is skyrocketing in price this year, from subscription services to groceries, and your favorite fast food restaurant is no exception. Who knows how much longer we’ll be able to afford queso and guac on our bowls?! Chipotle cites the economy as the reason for this most recent price hike. Find all of the details below.
@aliwuzhere PRICE UPDATE!!! SHARE WITH FRIENDS!! *Prices differ from state to state* #chipotle #tiktober #day23 #newprices original sound – Alejandro Pagán
Chipotle raises prices due to inflation
“Prices have now changed,” Chipotle employee and TikTok user @aliwuzhere said in a video posted on October 24, 2023. “The price of a chicken bowl went from $9.09 to $9.37,” he continued, showing a clip of the menus. “Don’t come for me, ’cause I warned you.”
In the comments of this video, customers expressed distress over the price hikes. “Everything going up but my salary,” one person wrote.
Many reminisced on the low prices of Chipotle's past. "Back in 2018 I used to pay $6.85 for a bowl," one comment reads. "I remember chicken was 6.50 before chipotle went viral," another person lamented.
Some complained about the reportedly decreasing quality: "Prices up but quality is down."
This is a common complaint about fast food chains as of late. Many customers across the internet have been complaining about "shrinkflation," a term that refers to the fact that menu items have been decreasing in size as prices rise.
News that the Tex Mex fast food chain would be raising their prices once more first hit in early October. In a statement to USA TODAY, the company's chief corporate affairs officer blamed inflation for the upcoming higher price tags. "For the first time in over a year, we will be taking a modest price increase to offset inflation," she said.
Although this is indeed the first price increase of 2023, Chipotle has raised their prices four times now since 2021. In August 2022, they began charging $1+ extra for menu items; this followed a 3.5 to 4% increase in June of 2021 and an additional 4% increase in the first quarter of 2022, both of which were due to higher employee wages.
Chipotle isn't the only chain that's been raising prices. McDonald's recently announced price increases to compensate for higher employee wages, as well.
Whatever the reason, one thing's for sure: fast food is getting hard for many to afford. You're likely better off cooking a nutritious meal at home—but let's face it: sometimes nothing hits like a Chipotle burrito.
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