Chipotle vs Qdoba
Chipotle
Fast-casual Mexican grill leader known for customizable bowls, burritos, and premium ingredients.
Quality-focused customers, burrito and salad enthusiasts, digital ordering preferrers
VS
Q
Qdoba
Fast-casual Mexican Eats chain celebrated for premium queso, nachos, and engaging app experiences.
Queso and nacho lovers, app-savvy mobile orderers, budget-conscious diners, cheese-forward dish enthusiasts
Short Answer
Chipotle leads in brand recognition, revenue ($2.98B in 2025), and chicken quality, while Qdoba offers superior queso, free full moon promotions, and competitive app engagement (ranked #5 in Food & Drink April 2026). Both are top fast-casual Mexican chains, with choice depending on whether you prioritize customization and chicken (Chipotle) or cheese-forward dishes and nacho quality (Qdoba).
Our Verdict
Chipotle maintains dominance through superior financial performance, aggressive expansion (350-370 new locations in 2026), and proven chicken quality, making it ideal for scale-focused investors and customization seekers. Qdoba counters with exceptional app engagement (#5 ranking April 2026), superior queso offerings, and creative promotions like Free Full Moon Queso, making it the choice for cheese lovers and value-conscious diners. The best choice depends on priorities: Chipotle for scale and protein quality, Qdoba for dairy-forward customization and digital innovation.
Choose Chipotle if
Quality-focused customers, burrito and salad enthusiasts, digital ordering preferrers
Choose Qdoba if
Queso and nacho lovers, app-savvy mobile orderers, budget-conscious diners, cheese-forward dish enthusiasts
Key Differences at a Glance
🔹
Annual Revenue (2025): Chipotle wins ($2.98 billion vs Not publicly disclosed)
🔹
Signature Strength: Chicken quality & salads vs Queso & nachos
🔹
2026 Expansion Plans: Chipotle wins (350-370 new locations vs No official announcement)
Key Facts & Figures
| Metric | Chipotle | Qdoba | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comparable Sales Growth(Percentage) | -2.5% decline | Not disclosed | — |
All figures sourced from publicly available data. Last updated Apr 2026.
Key Differences
Chipotle
Attribute
Qdoba
$2.98 billion🏆
Annual Revenue (2025)
Not publicly disclosed
Chicken quality & salads
Signature Strength
Queso & nachos
350-370 new locations🏆
2026 Expansion Plans
No official announcement
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Last updated: April 26, 2026AI generated
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