I will likely be judged for putting this opinion out there, but just hear me out. If someone says there is a significant difference between Qdoba and Chipotle, well, I would have to say they were mistaken.

Sure, there are a few differences that may steer a person in one direction over another. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with preferring one restaurant over another either.

However, when I hear a friend bash Qdoba while happily praising into Chipotle, I can’t help but roll my eyes. I’ll say it out loud with no shame: Qdoba and Chipotle are incredibly similar.

First of all, let’s start with the set-up of both restaurants. When customers walk in during lunch hour, they wait in a painful, 30-mile-long line.

As they wait, they enviously stare at everyone seated on the right-hand side, happily munching on burritos. Instantly, I’m reminded of a Subway-style order, as I pick and choose what kind of meal I want, and the exact ingredients I prefer. Once I pay at the cash register, I fill up my drink and take a seat.

Literally, the set-up and atmosphere of both restaurants are exactly the same.

Now, let’s take a look at the menu. First of all, both restaurants offer burritos, burritos bowls, tacos, and salads as their main entrée.

Qdoba does offer some additional entrees such as smothered burritos, but the ingredients are basically the same.

Since the burritos are the most popular entree, I will compare nutrition. At Qdoba, a customer has the choice between either a flour or wheat tortilla, while Chipotle only offers a flour tortilla. Then, the customer can choose between white or brown rice and either pinto or black beans (Qdoba has cilantro-lime rice instead of white, but it is a type of white rice).

Both restaurants offer the same meats, except Chipotle has fancier names. They also have different varieties of salsas and the usual toppings such as guacamole, sour cream, cheese and lettuce. The only difference with toppings is the famous, queso cheese offered at Qdoba.

In the end, a basic, chicken burrito on a flour tortilla with one type of salsa and all toppings except for fajita vegetables totals out to be 1,285 calories at Chipotle. The same burrito at Qdoba has 1,405 calories with the queso cheese included.

The only reason why I would ever choose Qdoba over the other is due to slightly cheaper pricing, but in reality, cost is similar. The nice thing about Qdoba is not only the free queso, but also the free guacamole. According to other reviews, an average, chicken burrito at Qdoba with common toppings saves a customer 60-65 cents without reducing the meal quality. However, the chips and salsa side are basically at the same price with Qdoba at $2.00 and Chipotle at $1.95. Either way, this slight variation in pricing would not make or break my overall thoughts on the two restaurants.

I would say both are good, and I honestly cannot choose which one I like better. The differences are too small to count.

Kassidi Andres is a features reporter for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected]