Chipotle launches temporary rewards program, new meat this week

Visit Chipotle multiple times a month to earn free meals.

Free burrito coupons may have worked for awhile but now Chipotle hopes customers are willing to earn free grub by shelling out some cash first.

On Friday, the Mexican Grill will start its Chiptopia Summer Rewards, a three-month long promotion that offers customers the opportunity to earn food not based on how much you spend but how often you go to Chipotle locations within a given a month.

According to the company, Chiptopia offers three different status levels: Mild, Medium and Hot. To start, customers can visit any Chipotle starting July 1 to pick up a Chiptopia card. Four visits, with a qualifying purchase of at least $6 during each trip, earns Mild status and a free entrée.

Sounds simple enough. But earning higher—or spicier—status levels gets a little complicated.

“During each month of the program, a customer’s fourth, eighth and 11th visit and entrée purchase triggers a reward for one free entrée and elevates the customer to a new status level,” says Chipotle.

If you’re a super Chipotle fan who achieves the Hot level in all three months, you can earn up to nine free entrées over the course of the rewards program, plus a $240 “Catering for 20” Bonus Reward.

Users are able to register for the program at any point from July through September, but the free chips and guacamole and Bonus Rewards are only available to those who join the program by July 31. Rewards earned during Chiptopia expire 30 days after they are earned  and Bonus Rewards are only available to those customers who achieve status levels all three months.

The intricate levels might sound confusing, but the Twittersphere is already buzzing at the chance to get free Chipotle this summer.

Still not ready to risk E.coli?

On Wednesday, the chain also announced it’s adding a spicy chicken and pork chorizo to the menu in select cities including Columbus, Ohio, New York City and Sacramento and San Diego Calif. It’s the first new meat rollout since the company’s founding in 1993.

Chipotle’s chorizo is a take on the classic Mexican sausage, seasoned with paprika, toasted cumin and chipotle peppers. The company expects to expand chorizo to all of its U.S. location by this fall.