Before the nightmarish public health scare and feeble apologies, Chipotle seemed like an unstoppable force. Finally, a fast-food franchise had figured out the secret formula to selling high-quality, sustainably-produced carnitas and asada at an affordable price.
Despite the recent bad press, people still continue to line up for the burritos and bowls. After all, die-hard Chipotle fans abound (including celebrity boosters and “meat finessing police“), which has only helped cement its legendary status.
But let’s be honest—highly customizable options aside, your burrito bowl can get old pretty quickly. Which is why every Chipotle advocate should take note of their secret-menu items. Are all of these hacks worth the hype? To get to the bottom of this question, we weighed in on each item.
From the traditional cheese quesadilla to fully-stacked nachos, here are Chipotle’s secret menu items, ranked from worst to best.
5. Double-Wrapped Burrito
Price: ~$7.70 (Steak)
The verdict: Two tortillas for one burrito is just completely unnecessary. This is a silly hack that yields no advantage whatsoever. If you want to stuff your face, might as well order extra rice instead.
4. Burritodilla
Price: ~$6.70 (Chicken)
The verdict: The Burritodilla seems like a worthwhile concept, made by adding a generous layer of melted cheese onto the bottom of the burrito. (Note: it is filled with half the regular amount of rice, beans, and meat that you normally would be served.) Then, the burrito is flattened and grilled like a quesadilla, creating a melted cheese base with a crispy outside. But c’mon, no one deserves 50% less food for the same price as a regular burrito.
3. Quesadilla
Price: $3.65 (without meat)
The verdict: The Chipotle quesadilla is arguably one of the most understated yet delicious items you can order. It’s perfectly crisped and is dripping with cheese. You also have the option of adding meat. Sometimes simplicity is all you need—not a shit ton of extra veggies and and rice.
2. Quesarito
Price: ~$10.20 (Chicken)
The verdict: The Quesarito is arguably the most talked about item off Chipotle’s secret menu—and for good reason. It’s essentially the same thing as the Burritodilla, but includes more fillings. Shout out to #excess.
1. Nachos
Price: $8.05
The verdict: Behold: the holy grail item on Chipotle’s secret menu. Yes, they’re not individually stacked, much to the chagrin of certain purists. But who can resists chips with meat, sour cream, cheese, and pico de gallo?