Chipotle Mexican Grill has become a go-to for many people due to its relatively low prices and high quality food. Will this change, however, with the burrito chain's possible increase of food prices next year?

Customers often leave Chipotle overly satisfied, as burritos generally swell to the size of an average adult's head. The restaurant is very kid-friendly, having a dedicated children's menu that includes a create your own taco kit, making it an attractive choice for families with busy schedules and limited time to get dinner on the table.

Chipotle also attracts college students and young adults with its prime late-night-munchie-food quality. The brand is also popular among the health conscious because of its personalized options and healthy add-in choices. Chipotle's loyal customers, however, may begin to abandon their go-to fast food cuisine in favor of cheaper options in 2014.

Chipotle's customers value the company's quality ingredients. It is possible that even if Chipotle raises its prices, customers will continue to flock to the restaurant for its sheer taste value, as well as its anti-fast food reputation. Though still technically a fast food chain, Chipotle sets itself apart from the rest of the fast food moguls of the globe. Chipotle prides itself on being animal friendly, and on putting the best possible product out to the public. They were one of the first major fast food chains to disclose information pertaining to foods on their menu that contain GMO's, which have become a hot button issue for many consumers watching what they put in their mouths. Chipotle also prides itself on its "Food With Integrity" policy, which works to change traditional fast food culture by serving food containing ingredients that were procured with the animals, environment, and farmers in mind.

It is this adherence to ethically procured and high quality ingredients that pushed Chipotle to make the decision to raise its prices in 2014. In the past, Chipotle was reluctant to raise prices in order to keep their consumers happy. For quite a while, Chipotle kept their prices low and absorbed some of the monetary losses into its own margins. In 2011, however, the company was forced to raise prices regionally to cover increased food costs. This move did not seem to hurt the business. The increased costs in areas such as New York City did not deter customers from lining up on their lunch break, and stock market value increased after the price alterations took effect.

Chipotle continues to strive to give its customers the best ingredients possible, and so prices for the next calendar year must be adjusted. The fast food chain is making a big push to remove all GMO tainted ingredients from its products, changing its main oil base from soy oil to sunflower and rice bran varieties. This initiative, combined with an avocado shortage in Mexico, and rising costs of main ingredients such as tomatoes, corn, dairy, and chicken forced the chain to announce on Oct. 17 that prices would rise on nearly all of Chipotle's menu options in 2014.

It is unclear at this point if the higher sticker price of Chipotle's food will decrease its currently booming customer base. Strapped-for-cash college students and large families may begin opting for cheaper fast food options, even if Chipotle is a healthier choice in the world of fast food. Or perhaps customers will begin to make concessions, holding the guacamole, which is already an added cost.

Shareholders in the business, however, are very happy with the decision. Nearly twenty four hours after the announcement, Chipotle saw an all time high stock market share price. With this in mind, Chipotle's future looks pretty bright. As long as their customer base holds strong, this health and environmentally conscious fast food chain will keep paving the way for alternative fast food options.

Reach Staff Reporter Ashley Seruya here and follow her on Twitter.