In the race for best Mexican fast food, Chipotle has had it’s ups and downs. Sure, they lost some points with the E. coli scandal of 2016, but their guac recipe is still unparalleled and can’t be replicated at home no matter how much lime you squeeze onto your avos.
What critics have argued diminishes Chipotle’s value is lack of diversity on the menu. Moes, Qdoba and Taco Bell all offer a variety of options from salads, to crunchwraps and everything in between. Chipotle’s menu has the basic Mexican staples, but up until recently lacked one of the most coveted indulgent items: queso.
As my friends and I took the journey to the Manchester, there was a sense of excitement in the air. We all knew this Chipotle experience is going to be very different, but we didn’t quite know how yet. However, the second we step inside the store, I noticed that their marketing department had been working hard. Two whole display boards were dedicated to the queso, so it’s safe to say I had very high expectations.
I stuck to my usual order of a very hefty burrito, and played it safe with queso and chips on the side. It was a good call because THE QUESO SUCKED.
I have always been on Chipotle’s side, so much so that I was once mistaken for an employee. But this time they went too far. The queso, if you can even classify it as that, is tasteless and gritty.
Their approach to stick to their platform of natural ingredients was a swing and a miss, and to even put this dip in the same category as Moe’s queso is a travesty. It costs $1.25 to add it to your burrito or bowl, $3.50 to get a small cup with a side of chips, and $5.25 for a large side with chips. While these prices aren’t horrible, for the quality of the queso it is a better bet to get guac or salsa on the side if your chips need some company.
I will always be a Chipotle fan at heart, so I am sad to report that the “cheesy goodness” they advertise is quite the opposite. Fellow collegiettes, do yourself a favor and sit this one out. If you need your cheese fix, head down to Storrs Center on September 21st for “Free Queso Day” at Moe’s.