Chipotle Mexican Grill opened its first restaurant in 1993 with a unique selling point: providing food fast without the fast food experience.
Given its success, it’s accomplished just that.
Chipotle uses only high-quality, responsibly raised, ultra-fresh ingredients at its quick-service restaurants. The commitment to Food with Integrity is shown through the chain’s ongoing respect for animals as well as area farmers.
Chipotle’s menu consists of only four customizable items: burritos, bowls, tacos, and salads. When Chipotle’s owner was asked several years ago about expanding the menu, he said, “It’s important to keep the menu focused, because if you just do a few things, you can ensure that you do them better than anybody else.”
But just because there are only four items on the Chipotle menu, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a secret menu lurking behind the scenes.
Secret Menu Item #1: Quesarito
On many college campuses, you might hear the word “quesarito.” In fact, fans think of the Quesarito as the best item at Chipotle.
It’s basically an enormous burrito, but instead of a plain tortilla, the shell of the burrito is made with cheese quesadillas. You might call it a quesadilla-wrapped burrito.
If you love the cheesy goodness of a regular quesadilla, you’ll love the Quesarito: a quesadilla with its crispy outside, and a burrito with cheese, veggies, and the meat of your choice inside.
Secret Menu Item #2: Burritodilla
The Burritodilla is basically a lighter, hybrid version of the Quesarito.
It’s best explained this way: if a Quesarito is a quesadilla burrito, then a Burritodilla is a burrito quesadilla. Make sense?
The Burritodilla is a quesadilla with burrito fillings, but because of its structure, you only get about half the fillings of a regular burrito smashed between melted cheese.
Secret Menu Item #3: Nachos
It’s pretty easy to order nachos at Chipotle. Just ask for a burrito bowl with chips instead of rice. You can order nachos topped with your choice of beans, cheese, meat, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole off the secret menu.
One last tip on the nachos – ask for Ambrosia sauce, a mixture of sour cream and salsa. Ask the staff to put this on your chips first, and then layer on everything else.
Secret Menu Item #4: Taco Salad
This is the most secret of all the secret menu items at Chipotle. In fact, it’s so secret, you might not find it at every Chipotle location.
The Taco Salad comes in a fried tortilla bowl. You can ask for it with any salad on the menu. If your nearest location doesn’t have the fried tortilla bowl, you can alternatively order nachos with a bed of lettuce.
Secret Menu Item #5: Cilantro
While not technically a secret menu dish, for cilantro lovers out there, you can order fresh cilantro with your meal.
What’s even better than a secret menu item is a free secret menu item! While Chipotle doesn’t advertise that it has fresh cilantro available, any fan of the cilantro-lime rice knows it’s the “pow” ingredient. Give your food a free zing of flavor with a bit of added cilantro with your burrito or bowl.
Secret Menu Item #6: Double-Wrapped Burrito
If you’re one of the people who flock to Chipotle for its flaky, chewy tortillas, then you’ll love the Double-Wrapped Burrito. This is the regular burrito – wrapped twice! The double wrap also works well if your burrito is filled to bursting. 
Secret Menu Item #7: Single Taco
A single taco is on the children’s menu for kids under 12. But, if you’re an adult who doesn’t want to eat very much, you can also order a single taco from Chipotle’s secret menu.
It’s filled with all the same yummy goodness. You’ll just have to decide if you can get by with just one!
Secret Menu Item #8: Plain Cheese Quesadilla
Again, kids know they can order a cheese quesadilla, but it’s too small for most adults. Enter the full-size quesadilla.
Grown-ups can order their own cheese quesadilla, or even better, fill it with some of Chipotle’s fresh ingredients.
Secret Menu Item #9: Extra Shells
Have you ever ordered a burrito bowl, but yearned for a bit more? You’re in luck. You can order two free taco shells or one free tortilla on the side. This way you can fill the shells with your bowl ingredients all on your own!
To Conclude
Most of us thought we knew Chipotle’s menu by heart. After all, we’ve seen time and again its four signature items. But now that you’ve gotten wind of the Chipotle secret menu, you’ll probably want to try it for yourself. We wish you happy eating as you explore this fantastic secret menu.
Whether you’re eating out in your hometown, or venturing out into a new city, check out our website first. We’ve got restaurant reviews and so much more. You can even catalog your dining experiences so you’ll never forget where you’ve eaten and what you’ve loved.
Image: Mike Mozart
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