In case you don't know, I am a big fan of Mexican food. Big fan. Aficionado grande. While I do appreciate the real deal most of the time, the reality is that I am a very poor, very busy college student, and therefore, I do highly value Tex-Mex fast food chains.
As it happens with things of great importance, lines are drawn and allegiances are made. Team Edward or Team Jacob? Marvel or DC? Oompa-Loompa or Hillary? However, the most pressing question for our generation is: Chipotle or Qdoba?
Thus, I went on an epic spiritual journey of self-discovery to discover which was superior. There were many factors to consider in this competition, and I believe I've covered most of them here.
Disclaimer: To try and make it as fair as possible, I got the same thing on each burrito I ordered.
Cost
As aforementioned, I am a poor college student. However, I am also a huge advocate for the "Treat Yo' self" Movement, as popularized by Parks and Recreation, and I believe in treating myself to a burrito when I feel I deserve one (I deserve them a lot in case you were wondering) and every cent matters. While both burritos were fairly close in cost, Qdoba was the most expensive by almost a dollar.
Chips
A Mexican restaurant is only as good as its tortilla chips, but with this category came another debate: quantity or quality? Chipotle's chips are of much higher quality, but Qdoba gives you more bang for your buck.
Eatability
Usually if I'm in public, I get a burrito bowl because I know that half of the burrito will end up on the table and not in my mouth, both leaving me less satisfied and looking like I grew up raised by wolves. Qdoba's tortilla was noticeably thicker, but the thickness gave the tortilla an undesirable chewiness. Chipotle's tortilla had a better texture, but the leakage from the burrito created a puddle on the table.
Size
As you can see from my snap documenting this momentous occasion in my life, the Chipotle burrito is noticeably bigger. Not only was it bigger in size, but it was also denser. I felt the difference immediately when I picked it up. One felt like I was holding a burrito, one felt like I was holding a small child.
Extras
Qdoba is famous for its queso, which gives it a definitive edge over Chipotle. However, since I do not eat cheese, this was not a factor for me. Since my burrito did not have the queso to mask its overall flavor, I found that Chipotle had better tasting ingredients, and MUCH better guacamole, which is the most important part of any burrito. "But guac is extra at Chipotle!" You whine.
If you get a veggie burrito, guac is FREE!
Results
Personally, I found that I liked Chipotle better. For me, the better quality of the ingredients is what did it, but like I said, I am also not under the spell of Qdoba's divine queso. However, in reality, the real winner was myself because I got to eat two burritos (in the name of science, of course).
Remember: the best babies are food babies, so treat yo' self and enjoy a delicious burrito (or two) whenever the craving kicks in!
P.S. Please send me recommendations for other burrito joints. I am always looking to expand my palate.
