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Here's why Chipotle is giving away free queso
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On Dec. 12, the company will give out free queso to customers who order an entree and wear a cheesy sweater. - photo by Herb Scribner
Chipotle announced a new deal that will make the dining experience a little more cheesy.

On Dec. 12, the company will give out free queso to customers who order an entre and wear a cheesy sweater.

The company didnt define what a cheesy sweater looks like, but said, "just like your burrito order, it's what you make of it. (Surprise us).

The deal only applies to entres and does not include any chips for dipping.

Chipotle similarly launched a burrito deal back on Halloween, where customers could receive $3 burritos if they wore a costume to the restaurant, according to The Deseret News.

An accompanying texting contest offered winning customers free burritos for the year.

Chipotle hoped at the time that the deal would turn around its sinking sales numbers. According to Yahoo! Finance, the companys recent queso dip promotion led to disappointing sales.

Chipotle has had a hard time getting people excited about its interpretation of queso, the melted cheese dish popularized in Tex-Mex cuisine, according to CNNMoney.

The queso promotion received negative reviews from customers on social media, with most questioning the cheeses taste. Chipotle defended its product, saying the cheeses taste is related to its natural ingredients.

But Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold told CNNMoney that the company created a recipe for the cheese that "is creamier than the initial recipe, and still has a really delicious flavor."

Chipotle's chief marketing officer Mark Crumpacker said sales have slowly started turning around, with a 17 percent rise last quarter.

"This new menu item not only increased sales with existing customers, it also attracted new and lapsed customers into our restaurants," he said. "About 19 percent of these new and returning customers are trying queso, while many of the others were simply driven in by the advertising.
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