Guac N Roll: How Chipotle Took Over TikTok (HBBIP #61)

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Folks, I am aware that this blog post is coming to you on the day before the signature eating event of the year. Yes, Thanksgiving is also about things like family and community and togetherness and the whole ‘giving of thanks’ phenomenon, but if we’re being honest with ourselves, we all know what it’s really about: not-dry turkey (the trick is to brine it), plenty of fixings (stuffing is the best side dish, I’ll take no further questions), and just the right amount of pumpkin pie—enough to make you wonder why it’s not a year-round treat, but not so much that you realize why it isn’t.

In the spirit of all things culinary, I want to start this week off right with a tasteful hors d'oeuvre. Think of it as a more limited version of the stomach-stretching exercises that competitive eaters do before a big event.

I thought it would be cool to do something Thanksgiving-themed, but it turns out that Stouffer’s and Butterball, though they are tracked in CreatorIQ’s system (shoutout to our Data Operations team!), don’t have the most robust creator marketing programs just yet. For what it’s worth, I officially volunteer to be a Stouffer’s and/or Butterball ambassador. Let’s make it happen.

Instead, I decided to go in a different direction. 

The Top Brand of All Time (of the Week): Chipotle

Because nothing pairs better with Thanksgiving food than Chipotle. Leftover turkey tacos? Mashed potatoes as a base for a burrito bowl? Unlike guac, these ideas are free, Chipotle. Call me anytime.

Ah, who am I kidding? Chipotle doesn’t need any of my ideas—they’re doing just fine on their own. Know how I know?

Chipotle EMV: 2018 - 2023

To quote another culinary icon, Bam!

Look at that trendline. While Chipotle, like many restaurants, suffered during the Pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, they’ve come storming back ever since. What’s more, the success has continued on into 2024. Even without accounting for November or December results—and everybody knows that when winter rolls around, burritos are the move)—Chipotle’s haul from January to October this year improved upon its whole-year 2023 total:

Chipotle EMV: 2018 - 2024 (Jan - Oct)

Not just ‘improved,’ in fact—improved significantly, with a YoY jump that dwarfs Chipotle’s previous annual growth rates.

Anytime I see EMV figures like this, I’m eager to check out supporting metrics, primarily community size (number of creators) and content volume (number of posts). When I did so for Chipotle, I noticed an interesting trend. I’m about to throw a lot of graphs at you, but bear with me. Much like, say, an ambitious spread for Thanksgiving, at first it might seem like too much, but I’m pretty sure it’ll all come together nicely in the end.

Here we have Chipotle’s annual creator communities from 2018 to 2024 (again, excluding November and December):

Chipotle Community Size: 2018 - 2024 (Jan - Oct)

And the brand’s content volume during the same time period:

Chipotle Content Volume: 2018 - 2024 (Jan-Oct) 

Broadly speaking, these graphs are pretty similar to each other, which makes sense. But neither graph fully aligns with the EMV graph from earlier. There are a few main differences:

• In 2019, Chipotle’s EMV was up, but its creator community and content volume both shrank.
• In 2020 and 2021, Chipotle pulled in notably smaller EMV totals than in other years, but the brand continued to grow its number of creators and posts.
• In 2024, Chipotle’s EMV was up dramatically compared to 2023 and all previous years, but growth for the brand’s community and post count, while still healthy, was decidedly more modest.

What gives? Well, you might not like it, but I can explain with another chart. (We’ve gotten very far from food right now—my apologies.)

You might have already been able to guess, given how often I talk about it, but the discrepancy we see between Chipotle’s EMV and other metrics stems from platform dynamics—specifically, the rise of TikTok.

Here’s that other chart I mentioned:

Chipotle Platform Dynamics: 2020 - 2024 (Jan - Oct) 

So in 2020 and 2021, years where Chipotle pulled in less EMV, TikTok was still playing catchup with Instagram. But in 2022, the two platforms pulled almost exactly even: $27.0M EMV for Instagram, $27.3M EMV for TikTok. Ever since then, it’s been all TikTok, with the short-form video platform more than doubling-up Instagram in 2024 ($98.5M EMV versus $47.4M EMV).

If we think of EMV as a heatmap for where creators are talking about Chipotle, then this graph provides a pretty definitive answer. The further that TikTok surges, the higher it carries Chipotle.

But what are these TikTokers—and creators at large—actually saying about Chipotle? What does content about the brand look like? We can break it down into three broad categories:

Comedy

As we all know, TikTok is built for laughter. That sweet sweet oxytocin encourages repeated viewing and staying on the platform—plus, you know, it’s just fun sometimes to watch people pull burrito-related hijinks. Whether it’s Josiah Schneider poking fun at corporate culture, dogfluencer Ellie Golden Life referencing how integral Chipotle is to WFH employees (#relatable), or the comedic mastermind that is Danfart99 incorporating the brand into his prank calls, Chipotle brought the funny on social media throughout 2024.

Cuisine

I feel like I shouldn’t even have to explain this one, but just in case: when it comes to Chipotle, foodie creators offer hacks and tips and recipes galore. But all of that is often dwarfed, when it comes to engagements and impressions, by the popular #mukbang subgenre, which is, well, essentially just watching someone eat more than should be humanly possible. As someone who enjoys eating more than should be humanly possible, I don’t exactly want to watch anyone else do it, but hey, such is life on the internet. Mukbang specialist Keila Pacheco shared a post featuring her eating a burrito larger than her head, which is pretty impressive no matter how one feels about the genre. Alexia Eats Boba got in on the fun with an ASMR-themed burrito bowl mukbang, proving that there really is something for everyone. On the recipe side, TikTok chef Ian Fujimoto unlocked the secret of Chipotle’s highly sought-after vinaigrette.

Critique 

One thing that surprised me about Chipotle content circa 2024? A lot of tough love. It’s clear that creators are fond of Chipotle, but as with things you’re fond of, they held Chipotle to a high standard. Portion size was a common gripe, as was the chain’s tendency to upcharge for certain items, with these tropes making their way into countless skits. A review from TikTok royalty Keith Lee took note of a burrito bowl’s lack of protein, touching off much of this content. Given that Lee had formerly collaborated with Chipotle on a special menu item, his verdict carried weight within the brand’s community.

It’s worth noting that these skits, while sometimes harsh, all came from a place of affection. Even as they bemoaned diminished portions or spending extra on sour cream, creators still pledged to return to Chipotle. Brand loyalty runs deep: a team member at CreatorIQ who will remain nameless told me that she was particularly excited upon learning that I would be profiling Chipotle, given that she’s been known to eat there for upwards of thirty days in a row. (Where’s her store credit, Chipotle? And while you’re at it, how about some for me?)

So needless to say, for both creators and CIQers, the Chipotle love is real. But maybe toss a few extra pieces of chicken on there every now and then, please. 

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