Sorry, Mom. Chipotle for the Win.

There are problematic people who plague our world. People who don’t understand right from wrong. People who I’ll never understand. A disgrace to the human kind.  One of them is my own mother.

I’m talking, of course, about people who prefer Qdoba to Chipotle.

Chipotle and Qdoba are undoubtedly two of the most popular Mexican food chains. Both offer a walk through Mexican salad bar where you can make your dish how you want. With a variety of basic main meals, there is a massive array of toppings for the consumer to customize their dish with. Menu items at both restaurants consist of burritos, burrito bowls, salads, tacos, quesadillas, and kids meals. 

The question: which is better? 

This question is unfortunately a hotly debated topic in my family. Saturday at the Haas household has always been takeout night. Often, my dad and two sisters choose to have chipotle, but on those nights, my mom requests that my dad take the extra stop to Qudoba for her. 

Being in both those restaurants multiple times, I have learned many things. One, Chipotle is more crowded (because it’s better), but for some reason Qdoba is always slower. Two, the ingredients in my burrito bowl are always fresh while my meals at Qdoba have been subpar. I often find the chicken at Qdoba lacks moisture and the rice is bland. Three, the satisfaction that comes from removing the aluminum lid of a Chipotle bowl beats the hard-to-remove, plastic Qdoba lid any day. The gentle hold of the aluminum lid around the Chipotle bowl is comforting, like a welcoming hug, whereas the harsh snap of removing the plastic lid of a Qdoba bowl is cold and unwelcoming.

The defining feature of Chipotle is it’s rice. I could survive my whole life off Chipotle’s cilantro lime rice. The mixture of salt and the bitterness of the lime with the cilantro creating a perfectly seasoned masterpiece. I cannot say the same about Qdoba. In the few times that I’ve betrayed Chipotle and eaten at Qdoba, my rice has been unbearably bland. It was dry and lacked any flavor whatsoever.

Although some people, my mother included, may make questionable choices in their choice of Mexican eats, there is still hope. Chipotle lovers around the world should come together and help people like my mother realize their mistakes. 

Chipotle for the win.