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Chipotle Mexican Grill

lonewolf

By lonewolf
in Gluten-Free Restaurants

Recommended Posts

lonewolf Collaborator
lonewolf
Posted

My hubby and I went out to eat last night (doesn't happen often) and decided to go to Chipotle. I'd been there once with no problems and he hadn't ever been, so wanted to try it. I didn't ask about gluten-free choices, since I'd seen their website, been there once before and read about it on here. Anyway, hubby got his burrito in a poison tortilla first, then I ordered a burrito bol. I was happy that a different person came to take my order and was putting on clean gloves as she came my way. She got a fresh tray of rice since it was just about out and I was thinking it was too good to be true - I didn't have to ask or worry about CC! So I got a chicken burrito bol with mild tomato salsa and guacamole instead of cheese and sour cream. Halfway through my stomach started gurgling, but I was really hungry so I pressed on. I didn't finish the whole thing because it's a lot of food, but by the time I was done I was burping (hubby wasn't happy with me) and feeling a bit gassy. We decided to go to the park and go for a walk. After walking about 2 miles or so, my burping was getting worse, as was my stomach ache and cramping. I did reach the bathroom in time. Now it's 4:00 am and I still have cramps and gas, but not much else left in there. I thought Chipotle was our friend! Has anyone else had this happen?

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happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

Unfortunately, I have! Same thing---changed gloves, ordered gluten-free ingredients......got horribly, horribly, horribly sick. I was so sad. Many others eat there successfully though.

I sure hope you are feeling better soon----I know it is no fun. Take care xoxo

angel-jd1 Community Regular
angel-jd1
Posted

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Chipotle. I have never had a problem there. MMmmmm Burrito bols!!

-Jessica :rolleyes:

key Contributor
key
Posted

I was gluttened there the first time I ate there. Same thing. STarted burping and at the end had the usual heartburn, etc. I get when eating gluten. I too pressed on, because I was starving and was hoping it was something else. I knew as I ate it, I was probably in trouble. Sadly enough, that was two weeks ago. I even ate there one more time and the same thing, but maybe more mildly gluttened that time. I have been scared to go back. I haven't been the same since, but also have been gluttened again a few times. It is SO frustrating, because I can't get my stomach back to normal. I was great for TWO months and thought I would brave eating out again. I know I have to be an ultra sensitive person and for the longest time, I didn't know what bothered me, but finally figured out I can't eat Lay's chips even. I eat tons of Utz's without a problem though.

I am sorry you got so sick. It stinks. For me I have the D, which then turns into C for three days. Feels like I may never get back to normal. This whole week I have been unable to figure out what is going on, but think I got gluttened from a back of chips that everyone that was eating sandwiches was eating out of and I ate out of the same back. Stupid, I know now!

Take care,

Monica

penguin Community Regular
penguin
Posted

I eat there near constantly and have never had a problem. I'm careful never to get cheese or lettuce (they use their hands for that). I also ask them to get new guac for me since sometimes cheese and lettuce falls in. Sorry, I don't know what made you sick :(

mike2184 Rookie
mike2184
Posted

I eat there all the time as well. I get my burrito bol plain - rice, beans, meat. Then, I add some Tabasco sauce for flavor. I know it is pretty boring, but I haven't any problems.

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

I've eaten there before without a problem, but don't get the cheese or sour cream (no dairy for me), so don't know if that could have been a problem...

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sspitzer5 Apprentice
sspitzer5
Posted

I've had some issues with Chipotle, which I think are from cross contamination.

At the store I go to, they touch the cheese and lettuce with their hands, so I don't get that. The only cc I can see with the borrito bol is that sometimes multiple people move my bol through the process and they haven't all changed their gloves. Thus, sometimes tortilla fingers are touching the inside of the bol itself. I don't see this as a huge thing, but I guess it could be the problem.

I've been mostly ok there, but definitely sick once in a while.

S

lonewolf Collaborator
lonewolf
Posted
  • Author

The frustrating thing is that I watched the whole process - clean gloves, only working with my food, only one person touching it. All I had on it was rice, black beans, chicken, mild tomato salsa and guacamole. No problem with the lettuce or cheese since I didn't eat any. Hubby is fine and he had the same basic stuff inside a tortilla, so it's not food poisoning. I'm still miserable today. Exactly like the last time I was glutened, so I know it's that.

penguin Community Regular
penguin
Posted
The frustrating thing is that I watched the whole process - clean gloves, only working with my food, only one person touching it. All I had on it was rice, black beans, chicken, mild tomato salsa and guacamole. No problem with the lettuce or cheese since I didn't eat any. Hubby is fine and he had the same basic stuff inside a tortilla, so it's not food poisoning. I'm still miserable today. Exactly like the last time I was glutened, so I know it's that.

I'd guess the guac, since it's inbetween the lettuce and cheese and both fall into it. Sorry you're sick :(

Did you have anything else it could have been?

lonewolf Collaborator
lonewolf
Posted
  • Author
I'd guess the guac, since it's inbetween the lettuce and cheese and both fall into it. Sorry you're sick :(

Did you have anything else it could have been?

Hmmm, the guacamole was on the very end at this one, not even near the lettuce and just past the sour cream. I didn't eat anything else yesterday that it could have been. I'm REALLY careful and make almost everything from scratch. I felt great until halfway through my meal, so I know it was that. Oh well, cramps are starting to subside a little bit.

key Contributor
key
Posted

Just another thought, when I have been there, I have seen them spoon things onto flour tortilla's and actually spread it around with the spoon and then put it back in the beans. So their is a risk of CC. Also, the first time I ate there, the man changed his gloves for the lettuce and cheese, but if everyone is touching the flour tortilla's etc. then the lettuce and cheese could have been contaminated.

Next time I guess I could not get the lettuce and cheese, but I would definitely miss the lettuce.

Monica

wozzy Apprentice
wozzy
Posted

Are you sure it was gluten? Maybe you're just not used to Mexican food? I think Mexican gives most people gas.

Just a suggestion, but it could be gluten too.

lonewolf Collaborator
lonewolf
Posted
  • Author
Are you sure it was gluten? Maybe you're just not used to Mexican food? I think Mexican gives most people gas.

Just a suggestion, but it could be gluten too.

We eat Mexican food at home at least once a week. I eat a lot of beans, rice, chicken, salsa and avacado, so it's nothing new to my system.

key Contributor
key
Posted

I live on Mexican food at home, so no it wasn't just Mexican food.

Monica

Nancym Enthusiast
Nancym
Posted

Chipotle just changed hands, used to be McDonald's owned it. But I wouldn't expect them to change policies quite that quickly.

lonewolf Collaborator
lonewolf
Posted
  • Author

Well, after all is said and done, I won't be going back to Chipotle for a very long time. My stomach still hurts. I KNOW it's gluten because it's exactly the same reaction as I had back in January when I ate at my SIL's house and was told AFTER I ate that, oops, there were breadcrumbs in the meat cutlets after all. Which wasn't a surprise because I had started feeling sick halfway through that meal too.

I think I'll just stick to cooking for myself or eating at the salad bar at our local health food store - never had a problem with that and don't expect to.

NicoleAJ Enthusiast
NicoleAJ
Posted

The first time I ate there I loved it and had no problems whatsoever. The second time I ate there I thought I was glutened, but I got the same thing as my boyfriend, and he got just as sick as I did. It must have been food poisoning because we eat Mexican food all the time as well.

Lexis Explorer
Lexis
Posted

Do they have a gluten free menu? (never ate there before)

lonewolf Collaborator
lonewolf
Posted
  • Author
Do they have a gluten free menu? (never ate there before)

According to their website, "You are safe to eat everyting we serve except..." then list flour tortillas, hot red tomatillo salsa and vinaigrette dressing (the latter two contain vinegar, which is sometimes controversial). They also say that there is a chance for cross contamination. The last sentence in their FAQ sections says, "For this reason, (cc chance) we recommend if you are highly sensitive or intolerant that you not eat our food."

dmcf Newbie
dmcf
Posted
My hubby and I went out to eat last night (doesn't happen often) and decided to go to Chipotle. I'd been there once with no problems and he hadn't ever been, so wanted to try it. I didn't ask about gluten-free choices, since I'd seen their website, been there once before and read about it on here. Anyway, hubby got his burrito in a poison tortilla first, then I ordered a burrito bol. I was happy that a different person came to take my order and was putting on clean gloves as she came my way. She got a fresh tray of rice since it was just about out and I was thinking it was too good to be true - I didn't have to ask or worry about CC! So I got a chicken burrito bol with mild tomato salsa and guacamole instead of cheese and sour cream. Halfway through my stomach started gurgling, but I was really hungry so I pressed on. I didn't finish the whole thing because it's a lot of food, but by the time I was done I was burping (hubby wasn't happy with me) and feeling a bit gassy. We decided to go to the park and go for a walk. After walking about 2 miles or so, my burping was getting worse, as was my stomach ache and cramping. I did reach the bathroom in time. Now it's 4:00 am and I still have cramps and gas, but not much else left in there. I thought Chipotle was our friend! Has anyone else had this happen?

I eat there often. Never a problem.

hez Enthusiast
hez
Posted

I ate there for the first time the other day and had a great experience. I spoke to the manager before I ordered and went through the ingredients. I ended up with a bowl with rice, black beans and chicken. I skipped the lettuce, cheese, salsa area because I thought cc would be too high. I will go again. Just not anytime soon. I try to limit how often I eat out.

Hez

key Contributor
key
Posted

I just want to add, that just because one person has had a grand experience at a restaurant, doesn't mean it isn't possible for another person with celiac to have a reaction from either CC or be more sensitive to small amounts. I am sure you had a reaction from CC and I am sorry you were sick. It is always somewhat risky to eat out anywhere, but I know PF Chang's tries hard and some other restaurants. Chipotle's, being fastfood, there is definitely a risk.

Monica

steveindenver Contributor
steveindenver
Posted

I've eaten there a few times and haven't had problems (thankfully), but I do feel your pain in getting sick from eating out. One thing I do at Chipotle, is I give the server a piece of paper in Spanish that fully explains why they need to change their gloves and get new spoons for me. A coworker of mine, who is fluent in Spanish as his native tongue translated this for me:

Tengo la Enfermedad de Celiac y soy muy alergico enharinar. Yo le neccesito complacer pone nuevos guantas y utiliza nuevas cucharas, como ellos podrian haber tocada una tortilla de harina e incluso una cantidad pequena de harina me podria hacer muy enfermo.

(basically - I have Celiac and am very allergic to flour. It's necessary to change your gloves and get new spoons as they could have touched flour, and even a small amount of flour can make me very ill).

Also, from what I remember from emailing with Chipotle corporate - everything there is safe except the flour tortillas/wraps. And they did say the possibility of cc could occur.

  • 2 years later...
flybeck Newbie
flybeck
Posted

I think one thing that people should be aware of about Chipotle is that they use soy oil in just about everything... it's even in their rice.

I think that a lot of people who are celiac and not feeling any better after removing all sources of gluten should also try to remove dairy and legumes to see if they feel better. I had to do this and I finally feel normal again.

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