Chipotle - Is the 'chip shortage' real or an excuse for something else?

Okay, bear with me here. I've been hearing the 'chip shortage' narrative from a few different places recently, not just in the tech world but about supply chain issues in general. At Chipotle, I've noticed a couple of things that make me wonder if it's more than just potatoes and peppers. For instance, sometimes they're out of certain popular ingredients earlier in the day than they used to be, and the staff seems a bit hesitant to give a clear reason why, just 'supply chain issues.' Could this be a way to subtly reduce food costs or maybe even mask slower sales by having fewer options available? I'm not saying it's definitely layoffs, but when you combine this with fewer new hires and potentially stretched staffing, it paints a picture. Is anyone else getting this vibe? Feels like the company might be tightening the belt in ways that aren't always transparent to the customer or even the frontline staff. Just trying to connect the dots here.