Topics

More

Onward Stats: Chipotle

If there’s one word that everyone automatically associates with Chipotle, at least in State College, it’s line. The Heister Street Chipotle is a busy place, and no matter what day of the week you’re in the market for some chips and guac or what time of day you’re craving a burrito you’re likely going to have to wait in line (well, that is, if it’s open).

If you ever choose to enjoy your burrito, bowl, or salad in the restaurant, you’ve probably wondered how many tortillas and cups of water the place is churning through. We’ve been wondering the same thing, and after seeing how other popular joints function, we figured Chipotle was the next logical destination for one of our journalistic stakeouts. 466 tally marks later, here are some of the most interesting statistics from a Thursdsay night at Chipotle.

Burritos: 28

Bowls: 76

Salads: 8

“For Here:” 24

“To Go:” 87

Ordered online and picked up: 16 (our Editors recommend).

Chips: 15

Guacamole: 19

Cups for soda: 17

Cups for water: 27

People who were too good for cups of water and got bottled: 5

LionCash swipes: 14

Paid with cash: 9

Guys who were not working who literally went into the kitchen to pick their order up: 1

Knee-high Yik-Yak socks: 2 (or as some would say, 1 pair).

Employees staring at us and whispering to each other: 2

Employees who asked what we were doing: 2

Managers who asked what we were doing: 1

Times we were kicked out: I bet you’re wishing this number was 0. Us too.

Most surprising of all was the girl to guy ratio. Not saying anything about being basic, but:

Girls: 48

Guys: 66

We spent exactly one hour sitting in front of the registers at the restaurant (probably a bad location choice). Chipotle served 114 people within that hour, which averages out to 1.9 people every minute, and the average person only had to wait .52 minutes (31.58 seconds) from placing their order to paying for it.

If you’ve been following along with these stat snapshots, you know that we usually include a bonus playlist of what was playing at the restaurant during our stay, but at Chipotle it was just kind of smooth Mexican jazz. I mean, they were probably real songs, but it wasn’t exactly the bumping playlist from Canyon, and my Soundhound didn’t pick any of them up.

There you have it. Finally that notorious Chipotle line makes sense — those employees burn through burritos!

Your ad blocker is on.

Please choose an option below.

Sign up for our e-mail newsletter:
OR
Support quality journalism:
Purchase a Subscription!

About the Author

Staff

Posts from the all-student staff of Onward State.

News & Notes From Penn State Wrestling’s Media Availability Ahead Of 2026 NCAA Championships

The Big Ten tournament is in the past. Now, Penn State wrestling will shift its focus to the national stage.

Applications Open For Next Penn State Blue Sapphire

All materials and submissions are due March 20 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

[Photo Story] Penn State Hoops’ 2025-26 Season

The Nittany Lions wrapped up a challenging 2025–26 season last week.

113kFollowers
68.5kFollowers
4,570Subscribers
Sign up for our Newsletter
Other posts by Onward State

OS Reviews: Cael’s Cookie

Curious about Cael Sanderson’s cookies but not sure if they’re worth it? Our staff taste-tested a few, so you don’t have to.

Staff Picks: Which Current NFL Penn Stater Would Most Help Penn State Football?

Seniors Reflect On Their Final THON As Students