Have you seen the size of the burritos at Chipotle Grill? I’ve seen Kermit the Frog sitting on smaller logs.

Here is how my last trip to Chipotle went…(cue harp music) “Excuse me sir,” (shaking my shoulder) “We need this booth, I’m afraid you’re going to have to leave.“I abruptly wake up from my burrito induced comma, sit up from the booth I was laying in, wipe my face, and take what I have left of my pride out the door.

As you can probably determine, I am a huge fan of Chipotle Grill. Any place that allows you to get a healthy meal with generous servings for $8-$9 is A-OK in my book.

But today I have some tips to really maximize your value at Chipotle’s and get the most food for your buck. If you’re like me and have a serious appetite, you’ll want to pay really close attention.

1. Be a Half and Halfer

My favorite Chipotle tip to get a burrito the size of your head is to simply ask for “half and half” of something.

It could be half chicken, half steak. Half pinto beans, half black beans. Or half brown rice, half white rice.

Why you ask? Well, in my experience when you ask for “half and half” the server tends to be generous on measuring a half serving and you end up with a burrito that can feed a family of four or one starving college student.

See Also: 4 Chipotle Menu Hacks: Score a 86% Bigger Burrito for Free

2. Go for the Burrito Bowl, Baby!

Another way to maximize your value at Chipotle is to have the Burrito Bowl be your go-to order.

Load up your bowl with all your favorite toppings, ask for half and half of stuff, ask for a little extra of stuff (see the tip below) and before you know it your bowl will look more like a burrito sinkhole rather than your standard bowl.

Seriously, they are huge and can easily feed two average adults for under $9.

3. Be Polite and Ask for Extra

Chipotle’s has a strict no-no policy on adding extra meat for free and I totally get that.

But if you’re polite and friendly most servers, in my experience, are happy to add some extra rice, beans, veggies, cheese, or sour cream to your burrito, taco, or burrito bowl.

The best way to do this is to wait until they add something then politely ask for a little extra.

Another free tip: If you’re on a date don’t ask for extra onions. Or extra beans for that matter. Yeah, on second thought, don’t take a date to Chipotle Grill.

4. The Two Burrito Challenge

Only the brave (and hungry) should attempt this tip. I have only seen this accomplished once by a dude in front of me at Chipotle.

In my eyes, he’s the Chipotle king and I bow down to him still even though I have no idea who he is.

He was able to get enough toppings added to his burrito (for free) that the employee could not wrap it into one burrito so she had to use a second tortilla to enclose it all.

He then went to his seat with a fork and made two smaller burritos (still huge) and proceeded to eat them both.

All I could do was eyeball him from across the restaurant with nothing but complete admiration.

See Also: Chipotle Secret Menu: You Can Thank Me Later…It’s Delicious

5. Look for Gift Card Promotions

Keep a watchful eye out for special promotions on Chipotle gift cards.

On occasion they’ll offer a free burrito with the purchase of a $25 or more gift card. I tend to see this deal around the holidays.

Also, every Halloween they’ll offer a burrito for only $3 if you come in sporting a costume.

6. Ask for a Tortilla on the Side

When you order your burrito bowl, ask for the tortilla on the side (they should give it to you for free) – then eat half your burrito bowl and then make a burrito out of the rest.

If you were able to add a free extra or 2 (rice, veggies, or beans) your burrito should be a meal unto itself and make for great leftovers.

Ask the Reader: Do you get your “grub on” at Chipotle often? If so, do you have any tips to add? Similar to their burrito bowl, I look forward to getting stuffed by your comments.

By Kyle James

Photo by Mike Mozart