The San Francisco Way to Order a Chipotle Burrito originally appeared on Parade.
These days, everything is expensive, even fast food. For example, a typical burrito at Chipotle will run you around $15, which feels like it should be the price of a sit-down meal!
With these premium prices, you want to make sure that your Chipotle lunch is the best it can be. And that’s where the internet comes in. To make your next burrito so much better, there’s a clever hack for turning a standard Chipotle burrito into a California-style Mission burrito.
Fans of this trick claim it’s the key to ordering the best-possible Chipotle burrito, which is a pretty bold claim. After all, the chain is famous for its highly customizable meals. We did a little online sleuthing to figure out exactly how to order the Mission-style burrito so we can all get in on the fun. Here’s what to know.
Related: The Chipotle Ordering Hack We Wish We’d Known About Sooner
What is a Mission Burrito?
The Mission burrito is a type of burrito that originated in San Francisco’s Mission District, according to Bon Appétit.
Typically, a Mission burrito is defined by its oversized steamed tortilla stuffed with rice, beans, meat, cheese, sour cream, salsa, avocado and lettuce. The first documented Mission burrito was created at a restaurant called El Faro in 1962, per Eater. Originally, it was made using two flour tortillas, laid edge to edge, but creator Febronio Ontiveros eventually asked a local tortillería to make special tortillas that were big enough to make the dish. The final burrito when rolled is much thinner than the sleeping bag-sized burritos we are used to.
From there, other restaurants started making Mission burritos, allowing customers to pick their own meats and veggies, before the wrap was put on the grill or a panini press for a quick warming and then wrapped in aluminum foil.
Related: The Chipotle Ordering Hack We Wish We’d Known About Sooner
How to Order a Mission-Style Burrito at Chipotle
Dane Rivera, senior culture and style writer at UpRoxx swears he knows the secret formula to ordering the perfect Mission-style wrap at Chipotle. And for him, it’s all about flavor, texture and avoiding a soggy mess. “The aim should be to create as little mush as possible or else that liquid build-up will rupture your tortilla,” he writes.
Start with pinto beans. They’re spicier than Chipotle’s black beans and have more flavor. Then, add white rice, followed by barbacoa meat. Ditch the fajita veggies—Rivera argues they will just dilute the flavor of the barbacoa.
Add on lettuce and cheese for texture and flavor. As for salsa, Rivera recommends having the spicy tomatillo-red chili variety on the side. This makes your burrito less “wet” so you can get the right amount of ingredients with each bite.
Related: The Genius Chipotle Ordering Trick That Has Fans Asking, ‘Why Have I Never Thought of This?’
Rivera suggests that you get plenty of guacamole in your burrito for the perfect texture and flavor. He also recommends skipping the sour cream to avoid making your burrito too “wet.” But if you love sour cream, get it on the side for dipping.
Combine all these tips together, and you’ve got yourself the most perfectly constructed and flavorful Mission-style burrito Chipotle has to offer.
Related: The Game-Changing Costco Food Court Hack I Wish I Knew Sooner
The San Francisco Way to Order a Chipotle Burrito first appeared on Parade on Jul 22, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
