Chipotle’s guacamole isn’t the only menu item that’s going to make you shell out more money in the near future. Following multiple recent increases, Chipotle has confirmed that the chain is planning to raise its menu prices once again.
“For the first time in over a year, we will be taking a modest price increase to offset inflation,” Laurie Schalow, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for Chipotle, said in a statement sent to The Takeout. Unfortunately, the brand did not provide further information as to which menu items will be affected by the “modest” increase, or exactly how much that increase will actually be.
Chipotle’s price hikes, explained
If it feels like we’ve been talking about inflation for years, it’s because we have. The price hikes at Chipotle are a solid example of the continued strain inflation has placed on the industry. Over the past two years, the chain’s menu prices have increased four times, but for varying reasons, Business Insider reports.
In 2021, Chipotle increased its menu prices by roughly 4% to cover the cost of raising workers’ wages. When applied, the 4% increase meant a $10 burrito would cost $10.40, and a $9.20 burrito bowl was bumped up to $9.57. These figures are noticeable if you eat Chipotle frequently, but probably not enough to raise eyebrows otherwise.
After the 2021 increase, two more price hikes came in 2022. In Q1, Chipotle implemented another 4% menu price increase, which it noted was a response to inflation, Business Insider reported at the time. Once in place, it did not seem like these increases caused any issues with customers, as Chipotle’s sales were up 16%. Later on, in July 2022, Chipotle increased prices once again, causing customers in some areas to pay up to $1 more for their entrees.
Devoted burrito and bowl enthusiasts weathered the storm throughout Chipotle’s last few increases without much complaint, but depending on the brand’s definition of “modest,” this most recent increase might already be making waves. A Reddit thread regarding this recently announced increase has over 100 comments, most of which are not exactly forgiving.
“Good luck,” wrote one Reddit user. “Eventually people will just stop coming.”
Others noted that many people will likely complain about menu prices soaring but will also continue to buy their bowls regardless, a phenomenon we saw play out at McDonald’s last year. It’s too soon to tell whether Chipotle customers will hit a breaking point, but we do know that there is a limit to consumers’ tolerance when it comes to higher prices, which might explain why the chain is going for lots of little incremental changes rather than one larger lump adjustment in cost.