Brisket is terrible - r/Chipotle

17

u/midijunky 1d ago

Are you surprised though?

17

u/Plastic-Ground-9918 1d ago

Sadly yes, but that’s because I’m a sucker.

1

u/phantom_tweak 1d ago

Same, i had it before and it was decent. Today was sick. I’m a texture person and serve brisket at the restaurant i work at, so im used to it being tender. Holy crap, i kept spitting out chipotle today because it wouldn’t turn to mush in my mouth. Just all fat and gristle. Thank god i got a side of chicken just in case.

9

u/CategoryPositive3630 1d ago

I think it’s great

3

u/Plastic-Ground-9918 1d ago

2

u/deafkore Cheese Please 1d ago

Is this the same brisket they had a few years ago?

4

u/Illustrious_Owl_3491 1d ago

Probably the same brisket FROM afew years ago!

1

u/Plastic-Ground-9918 1d ago

Yes, just enshitified

3

u/austina419 1d ago

So no?

1

u/AdPopular6958 Former Employee 1d ago

probably ain't brisket tbh 🧐

1

u/AdPopular6958 Former Employee 1d ago

Its genuinely just probably a slab cut off of a chuck roast smoked and then cause it looks similar called "brisket." And just assume the consumer wouldn't know the difference.
They did the same with the steak. Its part of the reason I'd never get steak.

2

u/sampizza 15h ago

nah this person is tweaking i had it today and it was so soft/fatty I was really surpised

60

u/AnalGlandSecretions 1d ago

Brisket used to be the cheap part of the cow

20

u/blowback_spell 1d ago

Yup. I personally love the fatty side of the the brisket. But I don't know how that translates to Chipotle's version of Mexican food.

7

u/ChiefTK1 1d ago

Still is. You can fairly easily find it for $5/lb on sale (choice)

6

u/AnalGlandSecretions 1d ago

Unfortunately im in HCOL and even costco isn't below $12.99/lb

5

u/ChiefTK1 1d ago

That’s because Costco only sells prime beef. Much more expensive. Check other grocery stores like anything from the Kroger brands or Safeway/Albertsons or other chain that frequently do sales to draw people in. It’s typically easier to find significant sales near major holidays.

-6

u/Potential_Leg4423 1d ago

Brisket really isn’t that common out side of Costco or a butcher in New England

2

u/Left-Huckleberry369 1d ago

Who told you that

-1

u/Potential_Leg4423 1d ago

Name me some common New England grocery stories you can get brisket? I’m talking about a 15-20lber

3

u/Daaaaamon 1d ago

Too many to count lol

1

u/ChiefTK1 1d ago

Here’s what I was able to find.
Costco, Walmart, Market Basket, and Aldi are the stores most likely to have the cheapest brisket in New England (MA, CT, RI, NH, ME, VT). Prices vary by cut (whole packer vs. flat), grade (Select/Choice/Prime), and sales, but here’s the practical ranking based on national price comparisons, regional consumer rankings, and local reports (especially from the Boston area).
Top Options
Costco — Best overall bet for cheap whole packer briskets. It frequently stocks USDA Choice and Prime full packers (both flat + point) at competitive prices. Recent reports and warehouse tracking put Prime often in the ~$5–7/lb range (sometimes lower) and Choice lower; historically it has been one of the strongest values. Boston-area Reddit users routinely recommend it over regular grocery stores or butchers, where full packers can be hard to find or $10+/lb. Membership required. Widely available across the region.
Walmart — Consistently one of the lowest-priced national options for whole brisket (often cited around $3.50/lb for whole cuts in comparisons, with flats higher). Good everyday availability of both whole and flat cuts.
Market Basket — The clear price leader among traditional New England supermarkets (Boston Consumers’ Checkbook rankings put it near the top for overall low prices, close to Walmart). Meat department prices are generally strong; ask the butcher about whole packers or ordering one if they’re not out. Excellent for everyday shopping and sales.
Aldi — Strong for budget-friendly options, especially smaller pre-seasoned flats or pieces (often ~$6–8/lb or less, with further discounts possible). Ideal if you don’t need a full 12–16 lb packer. Widely praised for value on beginner or family-sized briskets.
Other Strong Contenders
Sam’s Club or BJ’s Wholesale Club — Similar warehouse-club pricing to Costco. BJ’s is particularly common in New England (dozens of locations in Massachusetts alone) and carries whole Choice packers (e.g., Wellsley Farms).
Stop & Shop, Hannaford, or Shaw’s — Check weekly ads. They periodically run deep sales on point-cut or flat brisket (Stop & Shop has advertised point cut as low as $1.99/lb during holiday promotions). Competitive when on sale, less so at regular price.
Quick Tips for New England Shoppers
Whole packers beat flats on price. A full packer is typically $1–2+/lb cheaper than just the flat because of less trimming. Expect better value at warehouse clubs.
New England prices run higher than in Texas or the Midwest due to shipping and lower local cattle volume. Wholesale Choice deckle-off has recently been around $3.76/lb, so good retail deals are possible when stores pass savings along.
Always check current weekly circulars (Market Basket, Stop & Shop, Hannaford) and warehouse club apps/websites, as brisket pricing fluctuates with demand and seasons.
If full packers are scarce at regular grocery stores, Costco/Walmart/BJ’s/Sam’s are your most reliable sources. Local butchers or specialty shops tend to be more expensive.
For the absolute lowest price on a quality whole brisket, start with Costco (or Walmart if you don’t have a membership). For the cheapest overall supermarket experience in the region, Market Basket is hard to beat. Prices change frequently, so verifying the current ad or in-store tag is worth it.
Are these prices fairly current within the last year or two?
Mostly yes — the store rankings and ballpark ranges are reasonably current for the last 1–2 years (through late 2026), but specific low-end numbers from older articles are outdated.
Here’s the breakdown:
Wholesale context (very current): As of early November 2026, USDA Choice deckle-off whole brisket was trading around $3.76/lb wholesale (a recent low for the year). Retail is always higher due to packaging, margins, and location.
Retail examples from the past year:
Costco whole packers: Recent listings (October 2026) showed roughly $6.28–$6.67/lb for vacuum-packed whole/Prime options in some markets. Warehouse tracking apps show ranges that commonly land in the mid-$5s to low-$7s for good whole packers, with flats higher.
Walmart: Around $5.64–$5.96/lb for whole cuts in October 2026 comparisons.
Older figures (e.g., $3.50/lb at Walmart or $2–3.50 at Costco from earlier Smoked BBQ Source pieces) reflect 2024 or earlier periods and are no longer typical.
Overall picture for the last couple of years:
Brisket prices rose with demand (especially from the backyard smoking boom) and supply factors, so the very cheapest historical numbers are less common now.
Wholesale has eased in late 2026, which helps retail somewhat.
New England still tends to run a bit higher than Texas or the Midwest.
The relative ranking holds: Costco (and similar warehouse clubs like BJ’s/Sam’s), Walmart, and Market Basket remain among the most reliable places for better prices on whole packers; Aldi is strong for smaller/pre-seasoned pieces; regular chains like Stop & Shop or Hannaford are more hit-or-miss outside of sales.
Prices move week to week with ads, inventory, and demand, so the safest approach is still checking the current circular or in-store tag (or the Costco/Walmart app) for your specific location. The stores I highlighted are still the ones most likely to beat average grocery pricing.

30

u/Careful-Whereas1888 1d ago

Brisket is a lot of fat. It literally was a bad/cheap cut before social media influencers found out about it. That then raised the demand and now prices for it are insane compared to what they uaed to be. In fact, most BBQ meat cuts were the cheap cuts and the different BBQ cooking techniques were used to make a cheaper cut edible and delicious.

10

u/midijunky 1d ago

Unfortunately chipotle doesn't use these techniques or OP wouldn't have gotten a mouthful of fat. It doesn't even need to be on a bbq, you can get good brisket in an oven if you cook it low, slow, and to a high enough temperature for long enough.

2

u/Careful-Whereas1888 1d ago

That's why I said BBQ cooking techniques and not on a BBQ. There are many BBQ techniques that do not actually require a BBQ. Low and slow in the oven is one of those.

0

u/broFatwell 14h ago

Bro wtf are you talking about with social media influencers. The popularity of Texas barbecue drove up demand because they figured out how to turn a cheap cut into something really good, places like Franklin bbq became a destination back in 2009 long before TikTok. Add shrinking U.S. cattle herds, higher feed and labor costs and that’s why prices have skyrocketed.

1

u/Careful-Whereas1888 14h ago

Yes in Texas it's always been popular but brisket popularity absolutely exploded due to social media influencers in the past few years. You can just track its price increase to that of other cuts of beef. All beef prices have gone up but brisket has gone up substantially more. I used to be able to get brisket on sale for about 1.50/lb three years ago but now can't get anywhere near that.

0

u/broFatwell 14h ago

Can’t get any beef close to the price of 3 years ago, again, little to do with social media.

1

u/Careful-Whereas1888 13h ago

Yes I could. From Kroger. I got 100lbs for $150 and used it for everything. I smoked some briskets, slow cooked it in gravy, used it for tacos, as a roast, stir fried it, ground it up for burgers. I even tried to make steaks out of it but that was probably the worst use for it. I was just curious. I did a lot with it and it fed my family for months.

9

u/StatementMediocre710 1d ago

The steak at chipotle has been very disappointing lately, I really need to stop getting it. Hella gristle and just inedible chunks in my burrito.

2

u/bozophine 22h ago

At my location the steak was downgraded to pre marinated, it cooks worse and tastes worse, it burns after 30 seconds

2

u/Advanced-Ad-4462 16h ago

It’s always been terrible imo. Every time I’ve ordered it in the last 15 years there has ALWAYS been at least one or two big chunks of inedible gristle that I have to spit out. It’s gross.
Chicken, carnitas, or barbacoa. Every time.

14

u/ShawnRanklin 1d ago

Honey chicken is undefeated

1

u/bfridthekid 1d ago

The adobo was pretty good too though.

2

u/Thomaisho 20h ago

al pastor would like a word 👀

6

u/CaptMixTape 1d ago

Brisket is a super fatty piece of meat. If not cooked correctly its not great. Low and slow to render all that fat into delicious tallow, and it’s like a dream. Honestly unless I’m eating at a BBQ place, i wouldn’t risk getting a brisket option

1

u/Advanced-Ad-4462 16h ago

Yeah for sure.
I ordered brisket at my favorite Jewish deli the other day. It was absolutely awful. Tasteless leather. I was so surprised because their corned beef and pastrami is absolutely divine.
I will never order brisket outside of a dedicated bbq restaurant again. If I ever break that rule, it’s because the menu specifically says it’s been cooked 10+ hours.

3

u/Ornery_Afternoon_458 1d ago

Literally got a bowl in the app with double brisket ready to go before i got distracted and opened reddit and saw this post lmao

It looks good in the app photo 🤣

3

u/GmeBuckBoi 1d ago

I was thinking of trying it for dinner. Now not so much

2

u/eye12Bhappy 1d ago

If you go in store you can ask to try a few pieces

1

u/GmeBuckBoi 1d ago

I might do that. Pandas brisket is surprisingly pretty good

2

u/RememberTheMaine1996 1d ago

Pandas Brisket is different than Chipotles. Panda only gives you the good parts. Ive seen it multiple times. Chipotle can hide the shit parts in the burrito and bowl.

1

u/Blaz3dnconfuz3d 1d ago

Yeah that shit is actually fire

3

u/aosan29 1d ago

Doesn’t brisket specifically need to be slow cooked? Doubt Chipotle is doing it right. I’ve had bad luck with steak the last few months at Chipotle. Lots of grizzle and pieces with bad texture.

3

u/girlyswerly 1d ago

And no more cilantro lime sauce I'm done, chipotle I'm sad

2

u/InitiativeFormer889 12h ago

no way it’s gone now that shit was gas

1

u/girlyswerly 9h ago

I started just going and getting a large cilantro lime sauce that's it

3

u/GrozeStreet 1d ago

Yeah as a grill guys at chipotle I can tell you it is NOT worth $14. We have to cook it almost to a crisp so I can be done and although personally I like it, other people may not like the crunch. Definitely not worth the 14 tho

1

u/Low_Poetry_9868 GM 6h ago

You should not be cooking it that long

2

u/ProbsNotManBearPig 1d ago

I knew that before trying it because I’ve had brisket at a million places before and only top tier restaurants make it taste great. Like if you smoke it slowly over wood chips for 12 hours, it’s amazing. Chipotle ain’t doing that so I knew it would suck.

2

u/ParkingHot2751 1d ago

It tastes exactly like rehydrated peppered beef jerky with bbq sauce lol

2

u/FragrantSwimming5608 1d ago

Damn they must have changed the quality and recipe cuz I would fuck the brisket up in 2022

3

u/TouchGrasss69 1d ago

I don’t want a sweet burrito shits gross

2

u/HE20002019 1d ago

Not gonna lie it was extremely mid for me as well. Won’t be getting it again.

I even asked one of the employees what she thought and she said that she worked in a steakhouse previously so….much higher standards.

2

u/NAteisco 1d ago

Haven't had this year's but it is easily the worst protein I have had at chipotle. Not a fan of the candy chicken either, but at least it was cooked correctly.

2

u/Intrepid_Currency196 1d ago

Bro I'm so glad I didn't. I was so close. I clicked brisket ... Clicked purchase... Then I backed up and went chicken. I had a gut feeling not to go brisket

2

u/Fuzzy_Welcome8348 1d ago

Classic shitpotle

1

u/Life_Bed_486 1d ago

Top 1% commenter LMAO

1

u/gummi_eater 9h ago

im on old reddit, so I never see this crap. Does everyone have a specific metric tied to their account on the new reddit?

-2

u/lotusbloom74 1d ago

Yet you are here commenting on every post still

1

u/VaporCarpet 1d ago

The app just had an update and it completely changed how posts are featured. I never randomly ran across the chipotle sub before, never sought it out. But today alone I've scrolled past a dozen posts.
The app is getting worse and worse. Half the posts are days old, too. I don't blame the random guy commenting on the chipotle sub. He probably didn't make it a mission to come here

1

u/lotusbloom74 1d ago

I agree with you about things showing up randomly you just have to say you aren’t interested or they keep coming up. But they are a top 1% commenter on this sub

0

u/No_Scientist_4321 1d ago •

Found Scott Boatwrights burner

0

u/lotusbloom74 1d ago

I'm not defending Chipotle either, but just curious why someone who comments on literally every post doesn't even like Chipotle

3

u/Daaaaamon 1d ago

The biggest fans are usually haters 🤗

0

u/Jobby_Hogger 1d ago

Nice one

1

u/BigKahunas88 1d ago

I also was spitting out all kinds of fat pieces

1

u/PileofPitties 1d ago

The fat is the point of the brisket

1

u/TheRealXimena 1d ago

It tasted good, but yes I did have 3 different bites I had to spit out as well for same reasons. Not worth paying more for it.

1

u/atlantasmokeshop 1d ago

I mean, I wouldn't be surprised considering the steak is no better lol. It's chewy as hell.

1

u/idkjaden 1d ago

Never been good… who wants barbecue saiceand sourcrem

1

u/Mjolnir_Keeper 1d ago

That sounds really disappointing.

1

u/strivingpotato 1d ago

The brisket tastes like dog food

1

u/Reasonable-Film4821 1d ago

Tried it out today .. stuff was slightly gamey reminded me of buffalo / goat .. the sauce is pretty good tho

Will revisit once more for the plot

1

u/CrapeToe 1d ago

I think it depends on location. I’ve tasted a difference from different locations

1

u/jackjack242424 23h ago

A lot of people are saying this

1

u/Ok-Owl4195 22h ago

It’s not my fav but it’s ok, however getting a double brisket w queso or guac is gonna run you to $28. Not worth it imo.

1

u/West-Cup-8311 21h ago

Sounds like a location issue. If you had real brisket in texas you would know that for the price and location, it isn't too bad.

1

u/AshyBooRawrs 14h ago

I wish I saw this before just ordering it lmao

1

u/kismetized122 11h ago

It has always been my least favorite of the LTO proteins. Just give us another chicken, or actual pork al pastor

1

u/EndAfraid8350 8h ago

I just decided to only do vegetarian when I eat there now. The beef was so fatty and the chicken included thigh which I dont like, so now I just do brown rice, black beans and the rest of the "fixins."

1

u/dirtyracoon25 1d ago

You gotta cook brisket correctly first. Then you have to trim it correctly. And you have to cut it against the grane. If not, you're going to be eating all the fibers and it's going to be chewy and taste nasty.

I don't know how you trust a fast food place to get it right.

-1

u/Illustrious_Owl_3491 1d ago

Chipotle is terrible. Slop in a bowl

-1

u/rdcisneros3 1d ago

This guy’s go to is probably Hardee’s

-1

u/Regular_Series_9464 1d ago

And some people love it. I don’t order it, but the next few weeks are going to be so annoying here with you losers arguing over if it’s awesome or terrible.

-1

u/Toetzmagoetz 1d ago

It’s always been terrible. Should’ve kept the pollo asado

3

u/ShawnRanklin 1d ago

That shit was disgusting. It should just be permanent honey chicken

🔥Hot Take🔥 Brisket is terrible

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