Chipotle customers are reporting ingredient shortages as the chain says it is facing high beef and shipping costs
Hollis Johnson/Business Insider
- Customers say Chipotle locations are out of key ingredients like rice and steak.
- Chipotle says it is facing high beef and freight costs, but there is no system-wide shortage.
- Taco Bell, Starbucks, and other chains are also dealing with shortages.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
Some Chipotle locations are running out of key ingredients, according to customers posting online.
While there is no official messaging from Chipotle, customers say that they've visited locations that were out of vegetables, guacamole, steak, rice, and even tortillas.
"We aren't experiencing any supply issues throughout the network, however, occasionally there are spot outages at individual restaurants," a spokesperson told Insider.
"We are challenged by several industry-wide issues, most notably beef and freight costs, as well as staffing shortages at our suppliers."
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Chipotle locations dealt with shortages earlier in July during a free entree deal. Five Chipotle employees from four states told Insider about running out of ingredients including lettuce, sour cream, cilantro, brown rice, steak, vegetables, corn, and guacamole.
In June, Reuters reported on a New Jersey Chipotle that was out of barbacoa and carnitas during a weekday lunch rush. A nearby location had both ingredients, and Chipotle told Reuters that these were not a reflection of overall supply chain problems.
The entire restaurant industry is facing supply chain issues, causing shortages and impacting customers. Taco Bell is telling customers that it doesn't have several ingredients, and posts on social media called out shortages of staple ingredients including chicken, beef, and several different types of taco shells. The chain told Insider shortages were due to "national transportation delays," that are impacting the entire industry.
In June, Starbucks shared an internal memo that the chain was putting 25 items on temporary hold due to supply chain issues. Some stores have displayed signs that say "we are currently experiencing temporary outages of some of our food and beverage items." These signs were officially distributed from Starbucks corporate to individual stores, a spokesperson previously confirmed to Insider.
Shortages and price hikes are affecting the entire retail sector. Bikes, cars, meat, cheese, and even ketchup are all becoming more expensive, in part thanks to disruptions to the global supply chain from COVID-19, plus a shipping container shortage and port congestion. These factors created what experts called a "perfect storm" in global transportation.
Do you have a story to share about a retail or restaurant chain? Email this reporter at mmeisenzahl@businessinsider.com.