In a market where fast-food chains like Chipotle are charging more than ever, consumers are looking for any way to gain an edge and get the most out of their money. Platforms like TikTok have particularly become a go-to source for different money-saving life hacks, such as ordering kids’ meals or finding hidden app discounts.
Recently, one TikToker, in particular, has gained attention for his bold and morally questionable approach to getting free food from places like Chipotle.
TikTok user Christian Lager (@cristian.lager) recently shared what he describes as an “unethical life hack” for scoring free food at places like Chipotle by exploiting reward apps and busy staff.
“This is the most unethical way to get free food, legit, at any place ever,” Lager begins in his video. His method? Accumulate enough points for a free item and then take a screenshot of the reward app. When at the restaurant, you attempt to scan this screenshot at the register. Naturally, the scan fails, at which point you feign ignorance.
The key to the success of this particular life hack, according to Lager, is maintaining the deception long enough for a line to form behind you, increasing the pressure on staff to resolve the situation quickly.
“You just straight lie and gaslight,” he says. “You’re just like, ‘I have no idea. Like, I just redeemed it.’”
Lager claims that in most cases, the staff will eventually give in. “99% of the time, they’re just like, ‘OK, yeah, you’re good,’” he boasts, adding that he has previously used this tactic to obtain “thousands of dollars worth of free Chipotle.”
@cristian.lager Unethical free food hack #FYP #toohotohandle #reality ♬ original sound – Cristian Lager
Viewers share their thoughts
In the comments section, some users, including former Chipotle employees, seemed to confirm the plausibility of the life hack. “As an ex chipotle cashier I’d let you go for sure,” one of them admitted.
Another remarked, “This is so true though because we (the workers) don’t want to deal with it.”
However, others claimed they were already aware of the trick and could see through it.
“At McDonald’s, it doesn’t always work bc we tell them to refresh the code or show us at the window and then we can tell it’s a picture,” a commenter wrote.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Lager via email and to Chipotle via press email for comment.
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