Lets face it, Chipotle enthusiasts, there come times post-Mexican Grill indulgence where hunger still lingers and a bit of disdain can be felt towards the line workers who seemed to put a shortage on the food. But for those skeptical of this, know that this shortage is true, and happens all the time, as it is a fact that the amount of food received is never even and will vary with the person who makes the food, and sometimes even the restaurant location entirely.

What the majority of people haven’t uncovered about one of the most popular restaurants in the business are the set of unlisted regulations to follow which give you the most food at the same cost; rules that certainly give people who go there once or multiple times a week the most enjoyment out of their meal and the most bang for their buck. The list of small “Chipotle hacks” to enhance the experience can go on for quite a bit, but here are just a couple things to keep in mind when stepping foot in the Chipotle line.

Shake your bowls

This is one of the most common habits formed by those who thrive on Chipotle’s bowls, and since it is without a doubt one of the chain’s most popular items, it should be eaten in order to maximize it’s enjoyment. Always, ALWAYS, order the bowl to go when asked at the beginning of the line, even if planning on dining in. Not only does this give you a nifty Chipotle bag to take home, but it adds the most important part of the bowl to the order – the tinfoil top. Before taking off the top, shake the entire bowl up well before eating. However simple it may seem, this entire technique can transform the bowl into something of higher caliber, as all the lettuce that normally sits on the top of the bowl will be mixed in along with the other ingredients, giving it a more even distribution and enough of everything in each bite.

Maximizing burrito density

The two most important things to note when walking up to the line ready to order a burrito are: order the bowl, and extras are free. Well, not always, but as it stands, all ingredients besides meat will come at no extra charge when additional amounts are put on. This is where getting the most out of the order comes into play, as those who are skeptical of how much food will be given can rest assured that they will come away with more food every time due to these steps. First, if ordering a burrito, order a bowl and ask for a tortilla in it before the serving starts. This is because more food generally goes into the bowl than the burrito, and the bowl with the tortilla can be turned into a DIY burrito with the proper rolling technique. Next, ask for half white rice, half brown rice, half black beans, half pinto beans. More often than not, this will result in getting more food than just reguluarly ordering one type for both. After this, ordering extra meat costs extra money, so although it may be worth it for some, for the sake of this article and not wanting to spend extra money, pass on this and head straight to the extra ingredients, where asking for extra is no charge. After this entire process is over, enjoy the larger portions of food. It’s as simple as that.