Duane Beckett
Chipotle is giving basketball fans a shot at free fast-food after this year’s men’s professional basketball championship series ends. The company is tying the giveaway to a 1973 connection between New York and San Antonio, along with its own list of 53 real ingredients.
According to Chipotle via PR Newswire, both teams in this year’s series share a link to that year. New York won its last championship in 1973, while San Antonio’s professional basketball journey began the same year. That gives the campaign its hook: 53 years, 53 ingredients, and 53,000 free burritos.
How the Chipotle giveaway works
Chipotle will give away 53,000 free entrée codes nationwide after the final game of the championship series.
The company will post a text-to-win code on X immediately following the last game.
Fans who want in will need to move fast. The first 53,000 people to text the posted code to 888-222 will receive a free entrée offer, according to the announcement.
This is not a slow, come-back-later kind of promotion. Once those 53,000 codes are gone, they’re gone.
Why Chipotle is doing it
Chipotle says the giveaway is part of its “53 Years. 53 Real Ingredients” campaign. The company is using the championship series to spotlight the connection between the two teams’ 1973 history and its ingredient list.
As Chipotle put it through Stephanie Perdue, its Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing, the series created a “connection” the company “couldn’t ignore.” She also said giving away 53,000 burritos was the company’s way of bringing that story to life for fans.
Regardless of the reasoning, it’s a shot at a freebie.
How to get one of the free burritos
Fans should start following Chipotle’s X account around the time of the final game of the men’s professional basketball championship series. We’d also recommend setting a reminder or alert on your cell phone, just to double-down.
Once the code appears, text it to 888-222. If you’re among the first 53,000 eligible fans, you’ll get a free entrée offer.
In the same PR Newswire coverage, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges are also part of the company’s new “Time For Real” advertising campaign tied to the series. Their go-to high-protein orders will be available as featured digital menu items for a limited time.
For fans watching the final buzzer, this freebie deal gives one more thing to keep an eye on. The trophy gets handed out, the celebration starts, and then the race for a free burrito begins.