A recent stop at Chipotle left one dad, Matt Rieck, absolutely stunned by the final bill, leading him to claim the company has “lost their d*mn minds.” Matt, who shared his experience on TikTok, which eventually made it to Daily Dot, detailed how grabbing dinner with his son after a gym session somehow jumped to a massive $52.64 total.
You’d think they ordered a feast, but Matt explained they only got two bowls and two drinks. They did add double meat to the order, but they skipped all the usual extras like guacamole and chips. That price tag for a casual meal just feels unreasonable, and I totally get why he was shocked.
Matt’s outrage wasn’t just about his wallet; he tied the high cost directly to Chipotle’s recent financial struggles. He recalled seeing news coverage that detailed how the company’s stock was down 15%. According to Matt, the CEO was trying to pin the blame on Gen Z for “not eating out anymore.”
Matt isn’t buying the Chipotle CEO’s explanation one bit
Matt argued, “It’s not cause Gen Z is not eating out anymore. It’s cause you guys have lost your d*mn minds.” I think he’s absolutely right. When a quick fast-casual stop costs the same as a sit-down restaurant, you’re definitely pricing people out of the market. Matt compared the $52 price to earlier years, recalling when a bowl ran him “like 11 bucks.”
His commentary clearly struck a nerve, quickly going viral with over 1.2 million views on TikTok and 46K likes before being reposted on X. Since his complaint involved such a common chain, thousands of people related to the situation. Many commenters immediately called out what they see as corporate greed.
Several users latched onto his disbelief about paying “over $25 to get a burrito bowl of cheap Mexican food and a regular drink.” Others echoed his point that prices have shifted dramatically since the early days of the pandemic. Reactions on X followed similar themes about broader economic struggles. One user tweeted that the situation is a “goddam travisty,” adding that businesses jacked up prices after COVID but “NOBODY LOWERED THEIR PRICES after that.”
The overwhelming consensus among viewers, both on TikTok and X, was that people need to stop showing up at these restaurants until prices drop. Several users urged people to cook at home instead. One parent who identified as a single dad with two teenage boys explained that he “can’t afford to casually eat out anymore.” Now, they meal prep. He said it’s “100% better quality and less expensive,” noting that his sons help with the cooking, which is a useful lesson in itself.
If you want to fight inflation, it seems pulling out your cutting board is the best solution you’ve got.
Published: Nov 21, 2025 06:00 pm