Is Chipotle feeling the heat amid portion size concerns? Buzz and Value scores are certainly dipping

Chipotle has been facing criticism from customers since December 2023 regarding reduced portion sizes and value for money. The allegations even prompted Chipotle’s CEO Brian Niccol to take to TikTok to reinforce that the fast casual chain’s bowls and burritos haven’t been getting smaller.

We looked at YouGov BrandIndex, a daily brand tracker, to see whether the Chipotle controversy has had any impact on its brand metrics.

General audience: The data, shown in the chart below, indicates a decline in both Buzz (consumer sentiment behind what people hear about a brand) and Value (whether people think they’re getting good value for money) for Chipotle since mid-April 2024. In June, both scores are at their lowest point for the year so far.

TikTok audience: Given the social media scrutiny, it’s no surprise that Chipotle’s brand perception is even more sensitive among TikTok users. Both Buzz and Value scores for Chipotle began to decline earlier in the year among this social media audience.

Bottom line: It's important to note that despite the complaints on social media and Chipotle’s falling Buzz and Value scores, the brand’s Consideration scores (whether consumers would consider buying from a brand) appear to be holding steady month-over-month. This is true of both the general audience and TikTok users.

Further reinforcing this is Chipotle's positive sales performance, with 7% growth reported last quarter. This suggests that while some consumers might be having negative online conversations about portion sizes, their overall willingness to visit Chipotle hasn't been significantly impacted.