A Minnesota man was minding his business at Chipotle when the person in front of him figured out the ultimate hack to getting a steak bowl for the price of a single taco.
TikTok creator Conto (@conto444) is a Minnesota resident and sports enthusiast. In a recent video, he reveals, “All right, just got Chipotle and saw the most insane strategy I’ve ever seen from someone in front of me.”
And what did the person do? “They got one single steak taco,” Conto says. “They put it in a bowl. They then loaded the bowl with every single topping that’s not charged—so no guac and queso. They got an entire bowl for $5.”
How Did the Chipotle Staff Respond To This New Hack?
Apparently, this didn’t go over well with at least one member of the staff. “And they got into an argument with the lady at the checkout,” Conto recalls. “She was like, ‘That’s a lot for a single taco. We might have to charge you for a bowl.’ The manager came out and was like, ‘No, we have to charge them for a single taco.’ She just unlocked a completely new strategy. It’s a $5 steak bowl.”
In the comments section of the video, viewers discussed the strategy, the alleged response on the part of staff, and other tried-and-true Chipotle hacks.
“A $5 steak bowl from Chipotle is like finding gold during the Gold Rush,” said one viewer.
“Bro, employees acting like it’s coming out of their paycheck,” a second person said.
A third person said, “The big back hack is buying two kids meals. You’re getting two full scoops of protein, four sides, two kids size chips, and two small drinks (they let me swap for one medium). Put it all in a bowl, and you just got a double protein bowl with chips and a drink for $10.”
Others argued it’s not that great of a hack. “You get so little meat in a taco, though. That’s just a veggie bowl with steak sprinkles.”
One Chipotle worker said, “We get trained to charge for a bowl when people do this.”
Is This Really the Ultimate Chipotle Hack?
A Reddit thread posted to r/Chipotle three months ago notes the numerous online hacks that purport to help customers get added value at the restaurant chain. Several people agreed that the most underrated hack is being nice to the people who work there.
“The ultimate hack is just to order in person and be pleasant,” wrote one person.
A second person agreed. “Never had a bad portion when I was nice to the person assembling my food,” they wrote.
Another person said, “The ultimate hack is to stop being a cheapskate. Just pay for it and if you don’t, it’s cheaper to make at home.”
Someone else joked, “This question sounds like management asking so they can shut it down quickly.”
While that may sound like paranoia, Chipotle apparently does pay attention to viral hacks when they start costing the company money. For instance, back in 2022, budget-conscious customers started taking advantage of a $3 burrito hack that involved ordering a single taco plus an extra tortilla and toppings. Chipotle quickly put an end to the unofficial deal by deactivating tacos on the app.
@conto444 Economy got people wildin #chipotle #technique #nextlevelthinking
BroBible contacted Conto via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We also contacted Chipotle via email for comment.