Why Chipotle always tells you guacamole costs extra

Chipotle customers who order guacamole on their meat burrito, burrito bowl, taco, or salad are asked the same question every time.

"The guacamole is an extra charge, is that OK?"

Guacamole costs about $1.80 extra on items with meat or sofritas.

The repetition has led to t-shirts that say "I know the guacamole is extra." Facebook groups and thousands of tweets also echo the sentiment.

YES I KNOW GUACAMOLE IS EXTRA

- Cassandra Gonzalez (@Dragonro0ls) July 9, 2014

We reached out to Chipotle to see why workers are trained to ask this question.

"We don't want customers to be surprised by the added cost, so we tell people whenever they ask for it," Chris Arnold, director of communications at Chipotle, said last year. "Not every restaurant charges extra for guac, so there may be customers who expect that we don't either."

You can also elect to get guacamole instead of a protein, Arnold said.

While the practice might seem repetitive to loyal customers of Chipotle, the burrito chain doesn't want to risk alienating customers or catching them off-guard.

If a customer complained about the extra charge at check-out, all the customers behind him would be delayed.

Customers who don't want to be asked the question could try wearing one of these shirts.

NOW WATCH: Top Chef Explains How To Grill The Perfect Steak