New Jersey woman orders chicken bowls through the Chipotle app. Then the staff checks the screen one more time: ‘said to call corporate’

A New Jersey woman’s TikTok about a frustrating Chipotle pickup experience has gone viral after she said employees told her someone else had taken her order. The woman, who goes by Alana on TikTok, posted a video that has reached 850,900 views. She described a visit to a Chipotle restaurant after placing an order through the app. In the caption, she wrote, “I actually just wanted chipotle @Chipotle.” The post tags the official Chipotle account.

On-screen text in the video reads, “Ordered chipotle online and get here they say they gave away our order and had no more chicken to make our bowls said to call corporate Chipotle for refund.”

The video opens inside the restaurant and focuses on the service counter. A male employee in a black uniform shirt stands behind the counter and a glass partition. A point-of-sale system, card reader, and a sign reading “REWARDS INCOME SCAN HERE” appear on the counter.

Video shows customer filming herself after the staff response

Alana then turns the camera toward herself. The video shows a blonde woman wearing glasses and a black top. She covers her mouth with her hand before she laughs. The clip captures her standing at the counter during the exchange.

The camera pans down to her white pants and black shoes. It returns to her face as she points a finger while smiling slightly. The video ends with a shot of her legs as she walks away from the counter. She leaves the restaurant in the final frames of the clip.

Viewers responded in the comments with a mix of similar stories and suggested next steps. Some described their own Chipotle orders while others said what they would have done in her place.

One commenter wrote about a recent visit where the chicken tasted different. They said it seemed much spicier than usual and left them uncomfortable. They wrote, “I went the other day and they must have cooked the regular chicken after their chipotle cause it was way spicier that normal. I couldn’t even finish my bowl and had acid reflux really bad.”

Another commenter stated they would pursue legal action. They wrote, “I’ll sue for emotional damage.” A different viewer focused on pickup setups and who should cover losses. They wrote, “If restaurants put up a little pick up table so they don’t have to staff people than they 100% take on the liability of randoms stealing and need to refund the money.”

One person said they would not have left empty-handed. They wrote, “yeah i wouldn’t of left that store without a refund or my food but thats just me.” A commenter asked why staff could not process a refund immediately. They wrote, “restaurants can literally refund you…? why’d they give the food to someone else anyway.” 

Someone else described getting only part of an order on a prior trip. They said staff told them to contact corporate then as well. They wrote, “last time i got chipotle they just didnt give me half my order and said “were out of all that, call corporate for a refund.” Disputes over portion sizes and refunds at Chipotle have sparked customer frustration, as seen when a Pennsylvania man brought a food scale to question his double chicken order. 

One person said they would simply go back the following day. They wrote, “I’d be back the next day for my fresh chicken bowl.” Chipotle’s customer service issues extend beyond refunds, as one Minnesota man watched a customer try to turn a single steak taco into a full bowl for five.