Chipotle's 'Water' Cup Candle Smells Like Stolen Lemonade

Bizarre scented candles have emerged as a quirky way for restaurants to promote their brands. Ikea released a candle with a meatball scent. Shake Shack's candle was specifically intended to smell like a burger in the park, an homage to their original location. McDonald's Quarter Pounder candles were actually a set of six that, when burned in unison, were intended to elicit the scents of the famed menu item.

Courtesy of Chipotle Mexican Grill

But in the now-crowded strange candle department, Chipotle Mexican Grill seems to have found a first: Their new lemonade-scented candle is a tribute to… beverage theft.

Launching on Thursday, the Chipotle "Water" Cup Candle is said to be "inspired by fans who 'accidentally' fill their water cups with lemonade." Yes, one of the oldest "hacks" in the fast food scam book — asking for a water cup and filling it with something else at the self-serve soda fountain — will now be immortalized in candle form. This limited-edition soy candle is designed to look like a Chipotle water cup but gives off the scent of lemonade.

Courtesy of Chipotle Mexican Grill

The candles will be available on the Chipotle Goods online store (chipotlegoods.com) starting at noon ET on August 18 while supplies last. The candles retail for $28 each with free shipping and, as an added bonus, each candle will come with a unique promo code that customers can use to redeem a free lemonade — which is pretty ironic seeing as the candle itself provides all the knowledge necessary to receive unlimited free lemonades, assuming you have a weak moral compass.

It all begs the question: Is this candle meant to condone lemonade theft? For their part, Chipotle only says that in the past they've "acknowledged these 'accidents'" on social media, and the candle is a way of furthering that playful conversation. "Social is the premier destination for us to listen to and engage with our superfans," Chris Brandt, Chipotle's chief marketing officer, stated. "When they see these lighthearted tributes to social chatter and fan behavior, they feel even more connected to Chipotle."

And yet, sometimes people don't need a friend; they need discipline. If this candle only makes the lemonade theft problem worse, maybe the next one should smell like the tears of Chipotle's shareholders.