'One Of The Most Out Of Touch People' — Chipotle CEO Slammed For Response To Shrinkflation Claims

There was a time when fast food joints were known for large portions and low prices. That time is long gone. McDonald's prices have surged, and 78% of Americans now consider fast food a luxury, according to a LendingTree poll. Customers are also complaining that they aren't getting as much quantity, either. For the past few years, fans have speculated that Chipotle's popular burrito bowls are shrinking. When Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright appeared on Yahoo Finance's Power Players podcast, host Brian Sozzi asked about the company's shrinkflation allegations. Chipotle fans didn't like Boatwright's response.

"You should ask for a little more. It has always been our brand ethos and it is still to this day. We serve big beautiful bowls and burritos. Full stop. No questions asked," Boatwright said. "If you want more, just ask the team member. I promise you there's never a team member on that line that's going to say no to you."

Chipotle fans weren't impressed. "CEO is one of the most out of touch people I've seen," wrote one X user. "Sad because they could be blowing past everyone at this point. At one point, it was a cult following." On Reddit, one of the top comments featured a GIF from the 1948 adaptation of "Oliver Twist." "Please sir, may I have some more?" John Davies' gaunt young Oliver begs the camera. Others suggested that Chipotle, like McDonald's, has a CEO who doesn't even enjoy his own company's products. "He's clearly never been to Chipotle," one Reddit user said.

Some commenters noted that the statement was true in theory — but missed a crucial fact. "They won't say no and they'll charge you an extra $3.00. No problem," wrote one X user. Others complained that online orders don't have the option to ask for extras without an automatic surcharge.

This isn't the first time that Chipotle has gotten flak from customers over small servings. In a 2024 interview with Fortune, the chain's previous CEO, Brian Niccol, denied that portions had gotten smaller. Like current CEO Scott Boatwright, Niccol suggested that customers could ask for more food if the servings looked sparse. Later, after the interview aired, Chipotle promised larger portions.

While many Chipotle customers are criticizing the current CEO for his out-of-touch responses, some have their own theories about the issue of skimping on serving sizes. "I live close to Chipotle HQ," wrote one Redditor. "I have never been skimped ... so I honestly wonder if it's more of a localized management problem in other parts of the US and not something related to corporate policy." There might be something to the Redditor's theory. In 2024, a Wells Fargo analyst found that burrito bowl size varied significantly by location. The real hack? If your local Chipotle skimps, just pack up your life and move closer to Chipotle headquarters. Or, you can always try this much easier, sneaky trick to get more meat at Chipotle.