# Chipotle or Qdoba? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 2, 2014, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176 "2014-10-02T12:25:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/1 "2014-10-02T12:25:42Z")
What’s your preference? Wife and I used to eat at Qdoba years ago, but haven’t been back since discovering Chipotle. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/2 "2014-10-02T12:36:04Z")
Qdoba doesn’t soak and/or cook their black beans enough. They are always dry and chalky when I try it. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/3 "2014-10-02T12:41:40Z")
This is like comparing the greatest sex in the world with blood-soaked ebola socks. I don’t even understand the question, but Chipotle is the answer. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/4 "2014-10-02T13:41:37Z")
I honestly can’t tell the difference. It used to be one of them (I don’t remember which) had a much more limited menu, but looking at their menus now ([Chipotle](http://www.chipotle.com/en-us/menu/menu.aspx), [Qdoba](http://www.qdoba.com/menu-nutrition)) aside from quesadillas at Qdoba they appear to be identical. I only get the burrito anyways (and I haven’t been to either place in years). I’ve got a place near my house called [Spice 6](http://www.spice-6.com/menu.html) that’s basically Indian Chipotle/Qdoba. They use fresh naan rather than tortillas, it’s awesome. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/5 "2014-10-02T13:46:45Z")
I like the cheese sauce they pour into your burrito at Qdoba, so that wins if they are next to each other. But the nearest Qdoba to me is a 20 minute drive, while there’s a Chipotle in walking distance, so I eat at the Chipotle far more often. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/6 "2014-10-02T13:52:23Z")
Neither - they’re both bland, uninspired, and nowhere near as good as any mom-and-pop quick service Mexican restaurant you can find. (FWIW, Qdoba is owned by Jack in the Box, and Chipotle was owned for many years by McDonald’s.) ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/7 "2014-10-02T14:07:20Z")
I like the combination of chipotle pepper seasoning and cilantro rice in the Chipotle burritos. Qdoba always seemed pretty bland to me. Pancheros is another chain that I found to be bland. Baja Sol is not bad but not my favorite. The one I miss the most is Salsarita’s where they used a marinated chicken. The one’s by me all closed down. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/8 "2014-10-02T14:07:52Z")
Neither, really. Generally not a fan of TexMex or however you classify those places. I’m not even a big enthusiast of Mexican style dishes in general. But every now and then I’m in the mood for some carnitas and fresh guacamole. For those times we eat at the local[Richard Sandoval](http://www.richardsandoval.com/index.php)restaurant. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/9 "2014-10-02T14:11:45Z")
All I know is when I order a burrito bowl, add guacamole and chips on the side at Moe’s for lunch it costs $8. The exact same thing at Chipotle costs $12. They taste pretty identical so its the price that drives my decision. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/10 "2014-10-02T14:13:36Z")
Either. I’ve been to both, and didn’t find much to distinguish them. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/11 "2014-10-02T14:19:48Z")
Neither. In Austin we have [Freebirds](http://freebirds.com/). It’s like comparing chalk and cheese. Freebirds is the cheese 😉 ---
**Author:** ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/12 "2014-10-02T14:21:06Z")
Ever since I looked up exactly how many calories my usual Chipotle lunch was, I resolved to give it up. Thankfully I now live so far away from anything of the sort that I’m never tempted. ---
**Author:** ![Kasper1014](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c89c15/32.png) [@Kasper1014](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kasper1014)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/13 "2014-10-02T14:42:07Z")
I have to agree with Freebirds. No comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/14 "2014-10-02T14:51:09Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > All I know is when I order a burrito bowl, add guacamole and chips on the side at Moe’s for lunch it costs $8. The exact same thing at Chipotle costs $12. They taste pretty identical so its the price that drives my decision. You don’t have to even add chips on the side at Moe’s. They come with your burrito. That’s why I can’t bring myself to go to Chipotle, even though it’s a little better. (In Atlanta, I actually go to Willy’s. It’s the store that Martin Sprock ripped off when he started Moe’s, and Willy’s uses better ingredients.) ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/15 "2014-10-02T14:54:38Z")
Never heard of Qdoba. Never ate/ordered at Chipotle but have eaten take-out from there and it was pretty yummy. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/16 "2014-10-02T15:07:50Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > (In Atlanta, I actually go to Willy’s. It’s the store that Martin Sprock ripped off when he started Moe’s, and Willy’s uses better ingredients.) Wholeheartedly agree, Willy’s blows both of them out of the water. I just want one in Roswell, dammit! ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/17 "2014-10-02T15:08:25Z")
I’ve been to them both and find them pretty interchangeable. But really, living in Chicago, there are so many _mama y papa_ Mexican places around that are better and cheaper, that I rarely visit Chipotle or Qdoba. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/18 "2014-10-02T15:13:11Z")
I go to Willy’s as well (I live in the Atlanta area as well - Decatur). However, I do love Chipotle’s barbacoa - its absolutely fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/19 "2014-10-02T15:41:27Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I’ve been to them both and find them pretty interchangeable. But really, living in Chicago, there are so many _mama y papa_ Mexican places around that are better and cheaper, that I rarely visit Chipotle or Qdoba. See, I’ve never understood this logic. I used to live in Chicago, and loved going to the mom-and-pops, but that didn’t stop me from loving Chipotle in its own right. It’s like comparing apples and apples, when one bag of apples are red and sweet and the other are green and tart. Both are delicious in their own different way. ---
**Author:** ![Airk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Airk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airk)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176/20 "2014-10-02T15:45:24Z")
Neither; They’re both sad, uninspired faux-Mexican. I have a bunch of local places I’d pick over either. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chipotle-or-qdoba/700176.md?page=2)