By Vivian Kwok | Reporter
Making decisions can be a stressful feat, even the seemingly smallest ones. What to wear, where to eat or — at Chipotle — whether or not to get guac.
For those who do not like or cannot eat guacamole, this decision is easy. Pass the green dip, and pay for your meal at the register. However, for many others, including myself, this simple decision carries weight — we can either leave empty-handed, having saved an extra two dollars, or leave with an extra four ounces of guacamole in our burrito, bowl or stomaches. While keeping an extra couple bucks in my wallet is an undeniable perk, I will always choose to get the guac.
First, the price of Chipotle’s guacamole is not too out of line after considering and breaking down the cost of the ingredients. Chipotle posts the recipe they use for their guacamole on their website. It calls for two ripe Hass avocados, two teaspoons of lime juice, two tablespoons of cilantro, a fourth cup of red onions, half a jalapeño and a fourth teaspoon of kosher salt. Purchasing most of these ingredients at the grocery store will surely ring up to be more than the price of Chipotle’s guacamole. Although you will no doubt have excess limes, cilantro, onions and salt after making a copy cat recipe, the cost of these ingredients has a marginal effect on the price in relation to the avocados. According to the H-E-B website, the cost of two Hass avocados at the store already nears the total of Chipotle’s guacamole. You can either buy small avocados at $0.58 each, large ones for $1.68 each or a bag of five avocados for $3.98. Or you can purchase a prepaid order of guacamole at Chipotle for a competitive price.
Moreover, Chipotle’s guacamole is already conveniently made and sits, waiting to be purchased. Even if I did decide to make the guacamole on my own with Chipotle’s recipe, this likely means an extra trip to the grocery store because I do not always have the ingredients ready in my kitchen at all times. It also means cleaning up a few extra dishes. For me, the extra couple dollars for a couple of dollops of guac seem to be worth the labor and effort while also considering the cost of the ingredients.
Finally, adding guacamole to my Chipotle order only elevates the eating experience. Even if I want to make the guacamole on my own, it would contradict my initial reasoning for purchasing a meal at Chipotle. I make most of my meals at home, but I will occasionally buy a meal because I do not have time to go to the grocery store, prepare myself a plate and then also clean up. Going through all that effort only to add guacamole onto a meal that I had bought to make my life a little more convenient is contradictory. I will get the guac for convenience. Moreover, I want to enjoy eating my Chipotle without worrying about the cost. As a person who mostly cooks and prepares her own meals at home, I want to enjoy the meals that I choose to buy to the fullest extent. Chipotle’s price for guacamole is a price I will pay to effortlessly bask in the enjoyment of eating guac with my steak burrito.
Paying the extra $2, give or take a few cents, plus tax, for about four ounces of guacamole at Chipotle seems absurd to many customers, especially those on college-student budgets. However, I think the side of guac is worth the extra couple bucks. Get the guac.
