MP
meghan porter
Jul 15, 2026
Dear Chipotle Customer Care,
I am writing to express my disappointment regarding what was, without question, the worst customer service experience I have ever had at a Chipotle restaurant.
On Sunday, July 12, I placed an online order around 5:30 p.m. for pickup at 6:00 p.m. through the Chipotlane. My order was extremely simple—a bowl with white rice, chicken, steak, cheese, and lettuce.
I arrived at approximately 5:59 p.m. and found the Chipotlane line wrapped completely around the building, to the point that the entrance was blocked. Rather than contribute to the traffic congestion, I parked and went inside to pick up my order. When I asked the employee at the register about my order, I was simply told they were behind and that she could not tell me how much longer it would be. I ultimately waited an additional 20 minutes before receiving my order.
After driving approximately 15 minutes home, I opened my bag, which had my name, Meghan, on it, only to discover that the bowl inside belonged to someone named Jeff. Jeff's order was completely different from mine, containing brown rice, beans, corn, sour cream, hot salsa, and several other ingredients I do not eat.
Although I submitted a complaint through Pepper and was told I would receive a free entrée added to my account, that did nothing to solve the immediate problem—I still needed dinner that evening. I then had to drive another 15 minutes back to the restaurant.
Upon returning, I asked to speak with the manager. Unfortunately, the interaction became even more disappointing. The manager never once apologized. Instead, he looked at me and said, "Well, what do you want me to do?" I was honestly shocked by the response. I handed him the bag with my name on it and the bowl clearly labeled with someone else's name. Rather than acknowledging the mistake or apologizing for the inconvenience, he acted as though I was somehow responsible for the situation.
Only after I stated that I would simply like the bowl I originally ordered did he take it to the back to have it remade. While I was waiting, I commented that I couldn't believe no one had offered even a simple apology. The cashier responded by saying they were short-staffed.
I absolutely understand staffing challenges. Longer wait times are understandable when a restaurant is short-handed. However, being short-staffed is not an excuse for poor quality control or poor customer service. If the restaurant was unable to handle both the Chipotlane and online orders effectively, management should have temporarily closed the drive-thru or limited online ordering, as I have seen other Chipotle locations do in similar situations.
When the manager returned with my remade bowl, I again expressed how disappointed I was that I still had not received a simple apology. Unfortunately, his attitude remained dismissive. To make matters worse, I should have checked the replacement bowl before leaving because it, too, was made incorrectly.
This experience was about far more than receiving the wrong food. Mistakes happen, and I understand that. What I cannot understand or accept is the complete lack of accountability, professionalism, empathy, and basic customer service displayed by management.
This is not the first negative experience I have had at this location, but it is the one that finally prompted me to write. While I am not saying I will never eat at Chipotle again, I can confidently say I will no longer support this particular location. Customers deserve to be treated with respect, especially when they are inconvenienced by mistakes that were not their own.
I hope this complaint is reviewed seriously and that appropriate coaching is provided to the management team regarding professionalism, accountability, and customer service. A sincere apology and a willingness to make things right cost nothing, yet they can make all the difference in a customer's experience.