Don't be fooled. Ordering food at Chipotle is a seriously competitive event. There are noobs, pros, and everything in between. Take it from me—40k points and on a first-name basis with my local Chipotle’s manager.

Want to level up your Chipotle ordering game? You’ve come to the right place. I’ve compiled the best tips and strategies to help you improve your Chipotle experience next time you're hungry.

Feel free to add your own pro tips or high Elo suggestions in the comments. I’ll update this guide where applicable.

General Tips:

• Don't order pickup. You have to watch for it to be right.
• Don't order delivery. The food may be cold, and you can't monitor the order.
• At the first sign of employee-customer conflict, leave. You may die or end up in a viral video.
• If you see the manager messing with the register or payment system, leave. It could take 30 minutes or more to fix/reboot.
• Get the app and start racking up those points.
• Don’t go too close to opening time. They won’t have everything prepped yet.
• Don't go during prime lunch hours (11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.). They’ll likely be out of something.
• Don't go during prime dinner hours (4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.). They’ll likely be out of something.
• Don’t go too close to closing time (8:30 p.m. – CLOSE). They’ll be out of everything.
• Order every ingredient, even if you don’t like it. This helps avoid getting skimped.
• If you want guac, order it on the side. You’ll get twice as much for the same price.
• If you want double protein, wait for them to scoop once, then ask for double. Otherwise, you’ll only get 1.5x scoops.
• Don't order a fountain drink unless you have to. The machine is either out of your favorite drink, out of ice, or broken altogether.
• If you only eat half or part of a burrito, order two wraps and a bowl. You’ll get the equivalent of two burritos for nearly the same price (just an additional $1).
• While in line, Chipotle doesn’t notify customers in any way if something’s missing, even if it’s a key item like protein. Check for missing ingredients while you’re in line.
• If something’s wrong with your order, don’t talk to anyone in-store, they won't help you. Use the app’s AI help bot, Pepper. She's great.
• If you feel skimped on protein, don’t ask for more in line. They’ll immediately charge you for double. Instead, report it through Pepper for a partial refund.

Employee Social Engineering:

Understand one thing: Chipotle employees hate you by default because they hate their jobs. The goal is to avoid anything that could make the employee dislike you even more, which might lead to less food. Here are some tips to navigate this:

• Avoid making eye contact.
• Be polite: Say “please” and “thank you.”
• Don't speak too loudly.
• Don't speak too quietly.
• Do not touch the glass or even get too close to it.
• Do not finger point at ingredients or anything really.
• Memorize your order beforehand and say it quickly before they can ask. They don't like talking.
• Do not make any comments whatsoever. Employees are so stressed and overworked, that even the smallest comment can tip them over the edge.
• Figure out when your favorite employees work and aim to go during those times/days. Some employees are way more generous with portions than others, but it takes trial and error to find them.

Localization:

Most towns have multiple Chipotle locations. In major cities, you might have several within walking distance. Realize that some Chipotles are way better than others.

Consider factors like:

• Popularity: Too many customers means longer waits and the likelihood of ingredients being out of stock.
• Cleanliness.
• Timeliness: Do they even open on time?
• Rating: Most Chipotles rate between 3.4-3.9 on Google Maps. Anything above 3.9 is likely a gold mine.

I think that about wraps it up for now. Have fun out there bowl bosses and guac gurus.