Chipotle will begin selling snack-sized menu items on Dec. 23, starting with a portion of Adobo Chicken served in a four-ounce cup. The brand will also serve a similar sized portion of steak, according to an emailed press release. Chipotle confirmed in an email that these snack items are permanent menu additions.
Chipotle said consumer menu hacks that proliferated on social media — like ordering a side of chicken — prompted it to add the menu items.
The chain’s first standalone snacking items are also accompanied by the launch of several in-app and in-store menu hacks that comprise a “High Protein Menu” designed in response to consumer focus on macronutrients and widespread use of GLP-1 appetite-suppressing drugs.
“70% of Americans say they are prioritizing protein and more than one-third have increased their intake in the past year,” Chipotle wrote, citing research by the International Food Information Council.
The High Protein Menu includes a mix of double protein bowls, burritos and salads and three menu items curated by athletes and nutrition influencers.
“This curated menu brings that fan behavior to the forefront with clean ingredients and flexible portions, making protein and other dietary goals easier to reach in just a few taps,” Chris Brandt, Chipotle’s president and chief brand officer, said in the press release.
The curated High Protein Menu items will be available throughout 2026, Chipotle said, and will be supported by in-store signage.
Chipotle framed the protein cups as a value play, noting that the “the national weighted average price of a High Protein Cup of Adobo Chicken is $3.82.” According to a September analysis by analyst firm BTIG, the average price of a Chipotle entree ranged from about $10.31 for entrees without guacamole to $13.12 for items with guac.
The curated High Protein Menu items, however, do not have altered or value pricing.
“Pricing for double-protein builds on the High Protein Menu follows our standard double-protein pricing. The curated menu simplifies ordering and portions; it doesn’t change our pricing structure,” a spokesperson for the brand wrote in an email.
Chipotle’s foray into the snacking realm, however, could help it stem traffic losses due to consumer pullback, by creating an offering targeted at dayparts and occasions in which the brand does not typically excel.
