In 1993, the famous Chipotle opened up in Denver, Colorado by its founder, Don Daszkowski. As the success of Chipotle rounded in Colorado, less than a decade later, a new form of burritos came. In the year 2000, Moe’s opened in Atlanta, Georgia by its founder H.Martin Sprock III. Chipotle did not became a huge chain until 2005 where they went from 16 restaurants to 500 restaurants. Now, there are over 1,000 locations, while Moe’s is a smaller chain with over 700 locations currently. So, which one is superior? While I could talk about taste, they both have their own unique taste and everybody’s taste are different. So instead, these factors that make one better than the other will be decided upon the categories below.
Southwest Grill vs. Mexican Grill:
Many people have not even noticed the difference between Southwest Grill and Mexican Grill. Everyone just thinks a burrito is a burrito… well… it is not. It’s much more complicated than that. Moe’s is actually a Southwest Grill while Chipotle is a Mexican Grill (as shown in both of their logos). The definition of Moe’s Southwest Grill is really though just a different way of saying they are a Tex-Mex restaurant. So the debate may continue.
Chips:
The main course is nothing without its side chip (get it, because..). Chips are a nutritional side with every meal. While Moe’s gives out free chips with every meal, you must pay for chips at chipotle. You can get chips and guac, chips and salsa, chips and queso, or just a bag of chips. While the combinations sound great, you are still paying for something you could get free somewhere else. Chips, salsa, AND guac are for free at Moe’s. The extra charge is a side of queso.
Queso!?!:
The beloved queso. Queso is short for chile con queso, meaning a thick sauce of melted cheese. Moe’s has always offered their delicious, simple queso since the grand opening while Chipotle didn’t get queso until September 12, 2017. The thoughts of Chipotle’s queso though have been questionable. Why is it so thick? Why is it orange? Why does it taste like this? While there have been some negatives views on Chipotle’s queso, there are some positives. The ingredients used in Chipotle’s queso are all natural with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Those ingredients are aged white cheddar, milk, jalapeno peppers, tomatillo, water tomatoes, yellow onion, bell pepper, chipotle chili, rice bran oil, poblano pepper, tomato paste, corn starch, tapioca starch, distilled vinegar, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, salt, cumin, garlic, black pepper, oregano. Moe’s list of ingredients for its queso are pasteurized process american cheese (milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), water, cream, sodium phosphate, color added, salt, sorbic acid added as a preservative, nonfat milk, jalapeno peppers, maltodextrin, onions, xanthan gum, salt, stabilizer (Propylene Glycol Alginate, Xanthan Gum), Onion powder, gum blend (Guar gm, locust bean gum), spice. Which one would you rather have in your body? Or which one taste better? You decide.
Items on the Menu:
Moe’s offers a list of different item options on their menu. From your basic burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and bowls; to stacks and nachos. Some special drinks include are the virgin Moe-Rita and Coke-Freestyle. Chipotle only offers the basics. However, one difference between Chipotle and Moe’s are in the beverages. Chipotle offers bottled and soft drinks just like Moe’s, but Chipotle also offers bottled beers and patron margaritas. While most of us love having tacos and beer, the alcohol sales are quite low to only about 2%. More people of age should take advantage of enjoying alcohol at Chipotle.
The Restaurant’s Ambience and Story:
The style of the two restaurants are very different. Chipotle bring a more hipster vibe while Moe’s is all about its flare. This is because of why the restaurants were created in the first place.
Moe’s actually stands for Musicians, Outlaws, and Entertainers. This is why the music in Moe’s is a list of different influencers in the music industry; not just the trendy songs or bands. Outlaws comes to play because they do not stick to corporate rules. They have had their guest choose different menu items and allow for guest to create whatever they want. Entertainers are shown in their menu names such as Earmuffs and Wrong Doug. They even have Moe’s Mondays and Cinco de Moe’s for special offers in their restaurant.
The name Chipotle is from the Nahuatl/Mexican name for a smoked, dried, jalapeño chili pepper; which yes, is one of their ingredients used in the store. While it would be nice if Chipotle had chipotle sauce/chipotle mayo, their name is in fact used in their food. The reason though Chipotle was created was to show that food served fast did not have to be the fast-food products used. Chipotle is all about high quality raw ingredients from farm to plate. Their interior design is much like a simple rustic farm. The core of Chipotle is to ensure that healthy food can be accessible to anyone.
The Final Verdict:
Moe’s. The ambience and story of their restaurant is better, the free chips and salsa, and the very unhealthy queso is above and beyond Chipotle. Although I was not gonna talk about taste, Moe’s is much better than chipotle. You can have your own opinion on which one is better, but the correct answer is Moe’s.