Chipotle $CMG Mexican Grill is testing a crispy fried chicken protein option at select restaurants in California, with the company saying it will evaluate results before deciding whether to broaden the rollout.
The fast-casual chain says it will use customer and operational feedback to decide whether to expand the test
Kevin Carter / Getty Images
Chipotle $CMG Mexican Grill is testing a crispy fried chicken protein option at select restaurants in California, with the company saying it will evaluate results before deciding whether to broaden the rollout.
In a statement shared with USA TODAY, Chipotle said it "will use guest and operational feedback to determine whether to move forward with a broader market test as part of our stage-gate process." The company did not confirm which locations are participating or how much the item costs.
Sightings of the new item were posted on social media from at least two California locations, including one in Tustin and another in Irvine, based on reporting by KTLA. Like other Chipotle proteins, the crispy chicken is available as a filling across the chain's standard menu formats, including bowls, burritos, tacos, and salads, according to KTLA. Signage at test restaurants described the chicken as free of gluten, antibiotics, and artificial ingredients, according to USA TODAY.
Pricing data from at least one test site put the crispy chicken at $11.40, roughly a dollar and a quarter above the $10.15 charged for the chain's regular grilled chicken, according to The Takeout.
Reaction on social media has been divided. Enthusiasm for a wider rollout ran alongside doubts about whether a breaded protein could hold up structurally inside a burrito or bowl loaded with sauces and wet toppings, according to USA TODAY. At least one person who stumbled onto a test location and sampled the item posted a negative review on Reddit $RDDT, awarding it 3 out of 10 stars and writing that neither the texture nor the taste impressed them, according to The Takeout.
The shared fryer also drew criticism. Disclosures on test-location signage revealed a shared fryer between the new chicken and the restaurant's chips and crispy taco shells, a detail that alarmed plant-based diners, according to USA TODAY.
The crispy chicken test arrives while Chipotle is already running a separate limited-time protein option. A vocal contingent of online commenters pushed back on the concept entirely, saying their preference was for the chain to lock in chipotle honey chicken as a permanent offering rather than pursue a fried alternative, according to USA TODAY.
Chipotle did not say how long the California test will run or when it might announce a decision on broader availability.
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