A Chipotle customer waited patiently in line for their turn to order and watched the woman in front of them ask the worker for a bowl. Then they saw something that concerned them.
In a video with over 311,000 views, TikToker Vj084 (@vj08497) films the Chipotle worker assembling the burrito bowl.
The worker places the paper bowl onto a sauce-stained food scale and scoops a serving of rice and beans into it. The scale’s screen faces the customer so they can see how much food goes into their order.
The caption reads, “Chipotle bowls getting smaller.”
Why Does Chipotle Use Food Scales Now?
Chipotle has long come under fire for inconsistent portion sizes. Some customers claim that they don’t receive the 4 ounces (oz) of protein promised in their orders.
One Wells Fargo analyst even tracked the size of the same order over 75 times to show that his go-to Chipotle burrito was actually shrinking, as previously reported by BroBible. Others claim that portions between online and in-store orders differ significantly as well.
So, are the food scales Chipotle’s attempt to make orders more consistent? No. In an email to BroBible, a Chipotle spokesperson clarified that the food scales are “used as a part of our in-restaurant training for new team members.”
Despite outrage sparked by the viral video, some customers also noted that using food scales isn’t a new policy. And not all locations use them across the board.
One Redditor on r/Chipotle says they first noticed the food scale in early 2025 and questioned whether it would be the new norm. But some Chipotle workers suggest that the restaurant chain may only whip out the scale to help new hires measure the standard weights of ingredients until they can “eyeball” it.
“I had to do this in 2002 when I worked there. This isn’t new at all. Every new hire got the scale for a few days,” one commenter explained.
Another said, “Typical new/reoccuring employee training to help us eyeball the correct portion size. – Ex Employee.”
What Do Customers Think Of The Scale?
In the comments of the viral TikTok, viewers are on the fence about whether the scale means they’ll be getting more generous portion sizes or if this is another attempt to skimp.
“If I walk into a chipotle and see them pull out a scale I’m walking my ass right back out that door,” one remarked.
“White rice is literally the cheapest thing ever, why are they treating it like it’s a truffle??” another asked.
A third added, “Nah… that’s wild… if I’m paying $20 for a bowl, give me $20 worth of food.”
However, some agree with Chipotle using a scale, saying it makes ordering more fair.
“Now they can’t complain it’s not the right portion,” a commenter suggested.
A second wrote, “Imagine the scale wasn’t there. Every scoop was less.”
A few Chipotle workers suggest that the customer may have requested the worker use the scale so she could verify how much was going into her bowl.
“The way the scale is used for catering orders. the customer def said sum,” they commented.
Another worker agreed, writing, “as someone who works for chipotle.. this has definitely happened because a customer requested it to prove a point.”
BroBible reached out to Vj084 via TikTok direct message and comment and to Chipotle via email. We will update the story when they reply.