Do employees judge you for lining up outside of a restaurant before it opens? That’s what people are asking after one man waited for Chipotle to open at 10:45 in the morning.
In a video with over 54,000 views, TikToker Hamilton Harler (@hammunition) describes what he says is the “fattest thing” he’s “ever done in [his] life.”
“I’m waiting for Chipotle to open up right now. Because of my schedule, I’m not gonna have time to grab lunch,” he explains.
He then shows the opening times printed on the door.
“I look right here. It says 10:45 they open,” Harler states. “It’s like, 10:47. I’m tugging on the door, waiting for them to open. They’re in there being like, ‘Who’s this fat kid waiting for us to open?’ They’re just, like, in there looking at me waiting for it to open, like it’s some sort of shoe drop happening-when really it’s just Chipotle.”
He finishes the video before he gets his food. But why wasn’t the store open? And were they really making fun of him?
When Does Chipotle Open?
While some commenters were quick to make jokes about the TikToker’s situation, others noted the bizarre opening time. Why does the popular chain open at 10:45am-not 10:30am or 11:00am?
First, it should be noted that not every location opens at 10:45am. In a 2023 Business Insider article, then-CEO Brian Niccol was quoted as saying, “We don’t have freezers in our restaurants and our teams begin preparing at 6 o’clock or 7 o’clock in the morning to be able to serve our delicious food by the time we open at 10:30.” That said, the article notes that many locations open at 10:45. But why?
But Why 10:45am?
Unfortunately, no one seems to know. What’s agreed upon across social media is that the period between 7am and the 10:45am opening is far from idle. Workers say that, even with several hours of prep time, they often find themselves struggling to have everything ready by opening. In a Reddit thread, many users claimed that, even though 10:45 is posted on their door, they are often unable to get the restaurant fully open and functional by that time.
There are some theories about why Chipotle opens at such an odd time. One commenter speculated that it was because other restaurants tended to open at 11am. In their words, “people will come here instead of waiting another 15 minutes.”
Others theorized that it was to allow employees enough time to prep ingredients, then take a break before the store officially opened.
Do Employees Judge You For Waiting Outside?
Some self-conscious viewers may wonder if employees really do make fun of people who line up outside of their restaurant.
Of course, there’s not an official rule about this, and whether this really happens probably varies from location to location. However, in general, internet discussions on the topic tend to agree that employees aren’t going to make too much fun of you just for lining up-unless you act a bit ridiculous.
In a post on Reddit’s r/TalesFromYourServer, a user admitted that the practice of waiting for a restaurant to open “irks” them. Still, commenters didn’t think it was necessarily rude to do so, unless the visitor started behaving rudely.
“I don’t consider it rude to line up at the door, but if you start tapping / yanking on the doors it’s incredibly rude,” shared a commenter.
“If people are just standing outside waiting, I don’t consider that rude, even if they look inside,” echoed another. “If they continually try to open the door or knock, that would be rude.”
A Chipotle-specific thread on the topic expressed a little bitterness toward those who lined up outside. Still, much of the ire was directed at those who were rude or demanded to be let in early-not someone who was simply in line waiting for the restaurant to open.
So, if you need to wait outside for a Chipotle to open, but you don’t want to be rude about it, the best practice is to simply keep to yourself and be patient. Even if they open a little after 10:45am, you will be sure to get your food.
Chipotle Customers Have Done The Same Thing
In the comments section, users admitted to engaging in similar practices.
“I’ll raise you one. My friend and I waited for Cinnabon to open, literally watched the dude ice the first cinnamon rolls of the day,” recalled a user.
“I’ve waited for chipotle to open more times than I could count,” offered another.
“My local chipotle always has at least three people waiting for it to open. And the employees will wait till 11 to open the door sometimes. Don’t ask how I know,” stated a third.
Futbol Chronicle reached out to Chipotle via email and Harler via Instagram and TikTok direct message.
Dining and Cooking