High-end Fast Food Burritos: Chipotle, Moe's, Qdoba, Willy's

I am definitely partial to Chipotle simply because they taste so much better than all the other burrito places, but here's a comparison of the popular high-end fast food burrito restaurants. Taco Bell has long been a dominant force in Mexican fast food but we all know some of their ingredients are a little suspicious and the staff and environment is frequently not as good as we would like. In the fairly new category of fast casual restaurants, Chipotle and Qdoba take the lead and would be my preference over Taco Bell any day. The only problem is their locations are somewhat limited while a Taco Bell can be found in almost every town.

At Chipotle, Qdoba, Moe's, and Willy's, you can get a burrito any way you like it for $6-7. Moe's and Willy's include chips with that. If you want a drink, guacamole, or queso, that'll be extra at all the places. Compare this to the meal deals that taco bell now offers for $2, this is a significant increase in price but still not unreasonable at all and well worth it if you are fortunate to live or work near one of these places.

First, my favorite, Chipotle is known for a more urban business-person atmosphere. Lunch at every Chipotle I've seen always has a line going out the door. Their meats (chicken, carnitas, barbacoa) are full of flavor, cooked in taste Mexican spices. They make a big deal of having all natural meats and being environmentally friendly. The menu is very small and simple but you can customize your burrito or salad or tacos however you want. All the food is better here but what sets Chipotle apart the most is the cilantro-lime rice. Of course, if you're like my dad and don't like cilantro, this is a big drawback, and if you're like my best friend and like queso, Chipotle won't be the place for you because they don't serve queso. Children's menus aren't readily available and neither are quesadillas but you can certainly get kids meals and quesadillas.

Qdoba is a clear second in fast foot burritos. Their meats taste about the same as Chipotle's but the menu is more dynamic. The same products are available but Qdoba give various names to different burritos, which are good for people who have trouble picking out exactly what they want but to me, it serves to make me feel like I can't customize my burrito as much. Qdoba doesn't seem to be as widespread as Chipotle.

Willy's and Moe's are tied for 3^rd/4^th. Willy's Mexicana Grill has the advantage of including chips and salsa with their burritos. They also have salads and quesadillas on the menu but their rice is very bland compared to Chipotle and Qdoba. Moe's is very similar to Willy's but has a slightly better atmosphere, mainly due to their custom of the workers saying "Welcome to Moe's" when you walk in. Moe's caters to kids and a family crowd more than Chipotle, with the other two in the middle. Moe's has started something new and good that the other burrito places do not do - serving junior sized burritos.

So, next time you're searching for a good fast food burrito restaurant, look up one of these places. It's worth the slightly higher cost than other fast food restaurants, especially Chipotle and Qdoba.