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Key Points
Chipotle just launched new Chili Lime Chips for all customers on September 4 after an early-access period for Rewards members.The new side is inspired by customers using seasoned packaged chips with their Chipotle orders, a trend that has grown on social media since 2022.Pollo Asado is also back with a new recipe, while fans are already asking Chipotle to bring back Honey Chicken.
Chipotle customers have been doing some menu development of their own for a while now.
One especially popular DIY move involves working packaged seasoned chips into their usual Chipotle orders. And according to Chipotle, that particular habit has gotten very popular: By the chain’s count, social chatter around it has grown by more than 1,500 percent since 2022, while posts across platforms like Instagram and TikTok have racked up almost 100 million engagements.
And now, that viral hack officially has a spot alongside the burritos, bowls, and quesadillas on Chipotle’s menu in the form of new Chili Lime Chips. They’re available nationwide for a limited time, giving its usual tortilla chips a little more personality with chili seasoning and real lime.
Chief Brand Officer Fernando Machado said the idea came straight from watching how customers were already eating.
“We saw guests hacking their Chipotle orders with packaged chips and asked ourselves: What would this look like done the Chipotle way?” he said in the release statement, adding that the new side is made “without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.”
If you look online, early reviews have been a little all over the place.
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“Didn’t really get a lot of the flavor on it. Maybe I just had a bad batch? 😔” one person wrote, while someone else had the exact opposite experience: “To those that didn’t have much seasoning on their chips: I think I got yours because mine were LOADED.”
A handful of reactions have been considerably more enthusiastic. One person said they “taste just like Takis,” and some others were just happy to see the regular chips getting an upgrade, writing, “Finally the tortilla chips might be worth buying and not tasting stale.”
The chips aren’t the only thing new-ish on the menu right now. Pollo Asado also returned August 31 with a revamped recipe featuring grilled adobo chicken, garlic, Mexican spices, cilantro, citrus, and lime.
Chipotle Mexican Grill
And naturally, that was enough to remind people of the thing they still want back.
Several commenters immediately brought up Chipotle Honey Chicken, including one who wrote, “imagine these with the hot honey chicken 😮💨🤌🏼,” in reference to the new chips, before begging for the swicy meat’s return.
Another took the campaigning one step further, saying, “I will go to chipotle every week if you bring back honey chicken.”
Considering the Chili Lime Chips started with customers doing their own thing, I wouldn’t totally count that request out just yet.
