Chipotle Grill - Coming Soon To A Streetcorner Near You

[DonRocks]

Chipotle may be Quick Serve instead of Fast Serve, but I was in-and-out of the one in Lee Heights Shopping Center tonight in probably less than one minute.

An excellent ad from Chipotle. 

 

I assume we've all seen the cute little piece of propaganda by now.

I'll say one thing for Chipotle Grill: it tastes good, and you get change back from a $10 bill.

Yes, I'm ashamed, but sue me: I was tired, hurting, and didn't want to see anyone I knew this evening.

[BookGuy]

I note that the burritos are so big that you can easily get two meals out of one.

I live in downtown Rosslyn where fast food chains are the norm and, even though I am predisposed to like Chop't, another of those two or three meals out of an order places, Chipotle is pretty decent compared to the competition. Panera Bread is coming and it might be worth looking into, but I know nothing about it now.

[Dr. Delicious]

Perhaps this has been said already, but for those wanting to eat low-carb and low-sugar meals, Chipotle is key -- filling, cheap, and tasty.

[KeithA]

Chipotle is cheap and tasty and fast. You can't beat that combo and their food is "healthier" in the sense that they offer brown rice (which I get and tastes rather good) and better meats.  Healthy is in quotes because the portions are huge - definitely better to make it into 2 meals instead of one unless you are really hungry.

[jasonc]

Not to be the conductor the the Chipotle-love train, but I think it's important to note that while the meats are far from ethical (e.g, pastured), they do seem to be making steps in the right direction on that front.  I think that's worth paying more for.

[lperry]

Chipotle is a good option for people with celiac who need to eat gluten-free while traveling.  This is one place that Mr. lperry has *never* been poisoned, something that can't be said for all but one of the non-chain restaurants we frequent.  Often times in smaller towns his options are burger joints, Subway, Panera or some facsimile, and Chipotle.  With Chipotle, he knows he won't be sick the rest of the trip, and the food is pretty tasty too.  Sometimes that's all you really need. 

[dcandohio]

I, too, often default to Chipotle when I am really hungry, in a hurry and the larder is bare. But my burrito bowl as I like it has a whopping 1,500 grams of sodium. One-third of that is from the red tomatillo salsa, which is exactly what I crave the most from this place. I can't do it very often, because all that salt makes me feel icky.

[squidsdc]

Agree with the comments about "healthiness" of Chipotle...only if one orders wisely. Burrito wraps have a surprisingly high carb count, but getting a bowl would work for low carb. Sodium is high and I agree that halving the portion is probably a better way to go.

And they have just recently opened in Wheaton Plaza directly across from the Costco-next to Mayorga. That little corner now has Panera, Elevation Burger, Chipotle, Mayorga* and Costco for dining options...not too shabby if one has to swing by Target or Costco and needs to pick up a quick meal.

(*Mayorga sells some nice snacks...nothing big but they are tasty.)

[southdenverhoo]

 This just came to Colorado. Per the link, it has evidently been available on the West Coast for awhile.

I had one today and highly recommend, if it ever makes its way east to y'all. Of course I added shredded cheese and un-veganed mine. But an excellent evocation of chorizo, the effect I understand they were shooting for, with no meat.

If I screwed up the embedded link--my virgin attempt--here's the link: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/07/28/chipotle-vegan-sofritas-burritos/2583869/

If I didn't screw up the embedded link, who knows?  Emboldened,  I may even heed Don's polite request & try my hand at an avatar...

[DonRocks]

 This just came to Colorado. Per the link, it has evidently been available on the West Coast for awhile.

I had one today and highly recommend, if it ever makes its way east to y'all. Of course I added shredded cheese and un-veganed mine. But an excellent evocation of chorizo, the effect I understand they were shooting for, with no meat.

If I screwed up the embedded link--my virgin attempt--here's the link: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/07/28/chipotle-vegan-sofritas-burritos/2583869/

If I didn't screw up the embedded link, who knows?  Emboldened,  I may even heed Don's polite request & try my hand at an avatar...

The last several times I've been to Qdoba, I've ordered the Grilled Veggie Burrito with black beans and "the works." You can easily make this vegetarian instead of vegan, but there's something about their seasoning, combined with the injera-like (yes, it's spongy) burrito that I find appealing.

[DonRocks]

It isn't often I head into Chipotle Grill, but it happens on occasion, and I think I've finally narrowed down my order of preference.

I'd dropped off Matt at a school function, and the new Fairfax Chipotle Grill on Picket Street was just ... sitting ... right ... there, like a ring on a carousel for the plucking. So I plucked it.

A Large Burrito (burrito, not bowl), filled with grilled steak (grillled steak, not carnitas, nor chicken, nor barbacoa), pinto beans (not black beans), cilantro-lime rice (not plain rice), salsa verde and corn salsa (not hot sauces), shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and romaine lettuce, and there you have my current favorite flavor combination. I'm not sure exactly what this costs (though it is well-marked), but the bill, with a large Diet Coke and Fairfax City tax came out to $8.91. This is heavy, very salty - deceptively salty - food, that invariably makes me thirsty and bloated for several hours if not longer. I find myself spending a considerable amount of time at the water fountain. But I had this meal, with no chips, at around 3 in the afternoon, and wanted virtually nothing the rest of the night. Chipotle Grill's burritos are generously portioned, fairly priced, and are most certainly a guilty pleasure of mine that I don't mind succumbing to on occasion.

Perhaps *the* fast-casual model for all others to follow since all available flavors work together - the diner could throw a dart, and still come up with a winning flavor combination. Within its genre, Chipotle Grill is very well done. A case could be made for putting it in Italic in the Dining Guide, but, as tasty as it is, what it does well in consistency and flavor, it creates by using large amounts of calories, sodium, and fat. You could certainly do worse than Chipotle Grill.

[hopsing]

Either they undercharged you or Chipotles are cheaper in Fairfax City than in Arlington.  I bought my husband a barbacoa burrito last night and it costs $7.54 ($6.85 pre-tax).  This is without guacamole which I believe is about a $2 extra charge.  There was no soda either.  I like Chipotle in general, but the two near my house are pretty stingy with the ingredients.  Often they put out a small scoop of rice and I have to say, can I have more rice, small scoop of beans, etc.  Gets tiring asking them for more.  Other customers do the same.  I'm sure this is store policy but they should just charge me more instead of making me beg.

[cheezepowder]

I've noticed the same thing. My burritos are smaller than they were in the early years. But when I was at the Union Station Chipotle last month, they were piling enough into everyone's burritos that they had trouble wrapping some of them at the end.

My standard combination at Chipotle is a burrito made with steak, fajita vegetables, cilantro lime rice, no beans, corn salsa, red spicy salsa, and cheese. Plus a side of chips and guacamole. I love their guacamole. I cut the burrito in half and save half for lunch the next day.

They'll let you get half and half of two different meats so a few times I've gotten steak & barbacoa, but I like the steak the best.

[kwhitney]

I agree with you, Don. They are a good, relatively healthy fast food option. My only issue is too much salt. The salad is a good option as well if you want to cut the carbs.

[JPW]

The two biggest sources of sodium are the tortilla and the rice (?). So I either get a burrito bowl or a burrito without rice.

[DonRocks]

The two biggest sources of sodium are the tortilla and the rice (?). So I either get a burrito bowl or a burrito without rice.

Yes. I just can't bring myself to go without a tortilla, given that I'm already through the door; that said, I'd gladly order sodium-free rice if they had it (do they?) - the cilantro and lime are more than enough flavoring agents for me, given how much else is going on.

I also struggle trying to figure out why I prefer pinto beans to black beans in my burritos - I think it's because I like green sauces. Especially with grilled steak, it would make sense (for me, anyway) to prefer black beans and red sauce, but I don't, and I'm pretty sure it's because I was brainwashed by years of ordering the Super Spinach with Monterrey Jack at Burrito Brothers (which used to be really good, but then went to hell - how is the one on Capitol Hill these days?)

hopsing also correctly pointed out an error in my post which was written retroactively, using only the total charge amount as a memory guide. I must not have ordered either the Diet Coke (which I usually do) or the guacamole (which I usually do). Normally when I write posts, I put the itemized prices after each Item ($he.re); this time, I couldn't do it because I couldn't back the tax out and come up with anything that fit.

[Dr. Delicious]

I also struggle trying to figure out why I prefer pinto beans to black beans in my burritos

Because, at Chipotle, the pinto beans are made with bacon! (iirc)

[cheezepowder]

Because, at Chipotle, the pinto beans are made with bacon! (iirc)

Yes.  But they're phasing the bacon out of the pinto beans.

[bookluvingbabe]

Don, I loved, loved, the Super Spinach at the Capitol Hill Burrito Brothers, although I preferred Provolone on mine. I haven't been in forever-- other than the name and location it seems to be an entirely different beast than it was back in the 90s.

My standard Chipotle order is salad greens (no dressing), carnitas, pico, a touch of sour cream and guacamole. I had lemon from the wedges at the drink machine too. $9 and plenty filling.

[cheezepowder]

Chipotle's new "sofritas" vegan option (discussed upthread starting here) is coming to DC on Oct. 21.  From Washington Business Journal:

Fast food restaurant retailer Chipotle Mexican Grill will be bringing a new vegan menu item to all of its locations in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Richmond and Philadelphia.

Starting Monday, Oct. 21, Chipotle (NYSE: CMG) will feature Sofritas, shredded tofu braised with chili and roasted poblano peppers, along with other spices.

[lperry]

Coming soon to Potomac Yard.

[stockwatch_1999]

Rumor has it also coming to Potomac Village in the Chicken Out space (Chicken Out seems to have shut down abruptly at this location the past week).

[DonRocks]

Coming soon to Potomac Yard.

Rumor has it also coming to Potomac Village in the Chicken Out space (Chicken Out seems to have shut down abruptly at this location the past week).

Chipotle Grill is expanding rapidly in the DC area, and I wonder if that's representative of a national strategy.

I'd take Chipotle Grill, sodium and all, over Chicken Out, so there are many, many restaurants for them to elbow aside. This, Five Guys (love it or leave it) are two great quick-serve, fast-casual (name your term) success stories to be studied and learned from. Sweetgreen may indeed be a third.

[lperry]

We have eaten twice at the Potomac Yard Chipotle since it opened.  It is typically-Chipotle crowded and loud with no soft surfaces to absorb the noise, but the staff is friendly and helpful.  Two thumbs up on the vegan sofritas option, which was nicely seasoned and less heavy than the meat options (so says Mr. lperry.)  Two thumbs down on the woman who sat at the table next to us, all the while thinking it was OK to eat in public with a cough that was a cross between five-packs-a-day and tuberculosis. 

[DonRocks]

Has Chipotle Grill turned into glop?

For the second straight time, my bean burrito was a gloppy mess, with probably less than 20 beans (pinto beans) in the entire burrito, and the innards probably about 50% liquids and sauces. This was an ugly, caloric, culinary travesty that was about as much fun as eating a jar of mayonnaise. It was just so full of garbage that I finished a little over half, and threw the rest away. Next time, I'm ordering a simple burrito, and dispensing with the toppings (I waited in the car while Matt ordered mine - he did what he was asked, so the blame's on me.

Has anyone else seen a decline in recent years or months?

I *long* for the days of Burrito Brothers - now *that* was a place (in its prime) where you could get a pinto bean and cheese burrito and love every single bite - all it needed was salsa verde, and it was the perfect burrito. I still remember Jennifer, the manager, in the space where the original Burger 7 was - I didn't even need to ask her my order - she'd already rung it up by the time I walked up to the register. What a great manager she was, and what *excellent* quick-serve food this was.

[mr food]

We like the one in College Park-very busy so everything is always fresh if a bit over salted.

[Kev29]

Has Chipotle Grill turned into glop?

For the second straight time, my bean burrito was a gloppy mess, with probably less than 20 beans (pinto beans) in the entire burrito, and the innards probably about 50% liquids and sauces. This was an ugly, caloric, culinary travesty that was about as much fun as eating a jar of mayonnaise.

Do you get sour cream in your burrito? Even though I love a little sour cream w/ Mexican, I don't ask for it at Chipotle anymore because they're almost always too heavy handed. I get a pretty dry burrito bowl when I do make it in to a Chipotle with lots of Jalapeno Tabasco, chips and guac. This keeps me in control of the glop.

[weezy]

The last time I went, I noticed a marked increase in the amount of sour cream being used per serving.  The rest of the ingredients seemed about the same portion-wise.  But that overdose of sour cream really made the meal unpalatable -- and I love sour cream.  I'll leave it off next time or get some on the side.

[DonRocks]

Do you get sour cream in your burrito? Even though I love a little sour cream w/ Mexican, I don't ask for it at Chipotle anymore because they're almost always too heavy handed. I get a pretty dry burrito bowl when I do make it in to a Chipotle with lots of Jalapeno Tabasco, chips and guac. This keeps me in control of the glop.

Yes, I got gloppy toppings.

"Well? What do you expect, dumb ass?!"

Next time, I'm ordering beans, rice, and cheese, and dripping (not ladling) on a little salsa verde.

[DonRocks]

Is this place going downhill or what? I just had a Carne Asada Burrito that was both bad (gristly, tough, low-quality beef) *and* small - and this time I only got meat, pinto beans, and rice, so at least it wasn't gloppy.

As to "why," it's because someone was coming over and offered to bring me lunch (it was this or Panera - honestly, Panera might be better).

[lion]

It does seem to be going down a bit in quality. Last year it seemed that any of the locations were pretty good and consistent, but nowadays the quality can vary quite a bit. Maybe it's a consequence of the supply issues they have been having with meats and the increasing cost of produce. 

[Lydia R]

Given the most recent comments in this thread, here's an interesting read from Bloomburg Business by Kyle Stock and Venessa Wong. It's the "oral history" of Chipotle: "The builders of a $22 billion burrito empire"”the founder, his father, his college buddies, key execs, and a couple of pig farmers"”open up about how they won the fast-food future. And yes, they dish about McDonald's."

[jasonc]

I love Chipotle.

[darkstar965]

Given the most recent comments in this thread, here's an interesting read from Bloomburg Business by Kyle Stock and Venessa Wong. It's the "oral history" of Chipotle: "The builders of a $22 billion burrito empire"”the founder, his father, his college buddies, key execs, and a couple of pig farmers"”open up about how they won the fast-food future. And yes, they dish about McDonald's."

Really interesting article; especially in contrast to the dipping-quality concerns expressed above. Haven't been in a Chipotle in a couple of years but have always admired the business. Still kind of astounding it emerged unscathed from its time as the wayward stepchild under the McDonalds umbrella. I do occasionally visit their Shophouse locations but don't love them. We have too much great, low-cost, authentic Asian in this area between MoCo, Annandale and even in DC. Do like Cava though which, inevitably, may end up as a Chipotle acquisition. Surely that thought has crossed the Cava guys' minds once or twice.

[New Foodie]

I still enjoy Chipotle, but I have to admit I haven't had an actual burrito from there in years. I don't claim to be a health nut or really watch my calories too often, but when I realized I could save like 250-300 calories just by getting a bowl instead of the monstrous tortilla, I switched to only getting salads or bowls. This also allows me to mix up the ingredients to get some of each in every bite (or much closer to a good ratio than within the burrito when stuff is segregated). I also rarely get sour cream, or only get a small amount. Perhaps this prevents some of the issues Don mentioned above. Barbacoa is also my go to, and find it's always juicy and tender. We don't go that often, but enjoy it when we do. And like that we can get a kid's cheese or chicken quesadilla for relatively cheap without having to buy into a whole kid's "meal" when we don't need a drink, chips, cookie, etc.

[Al Dente]

Say it ain't so! A carnitas shortage?

I like the phrase "rotating pork wagon" at the bottom of the article. Did you catch Rotating Pork Wagon at the 9:30 Club?

[DonRocks]

Say it ain't so! A carnitas shortage?

I like the phrase "rotating pork wagon" at the bottom of the article. Did you catch Rotating Pork Wagon at the 9:30 Club?

I like "pork dearth" in paragraph three. Also, "If there's [no] pork we [can] get from somewhere else, there's not a butt on we can push to get more," Arnold said.

"You can do side bends or sit-ups, but please don't lose that butt."

-- Sir Mix-a-Lot, "Baby Got Back"

[alexandria1]

On 4/26/2005 at 2:33 AM, jasonc said:

this place pisses me off because sometimes I'll get this amazingly overstuffed burrito that fills me up for hours and sometimes the mean burrito ladies will put barely enough in such that it even resembles a burrito.

If you are gonna put crap in a tortilla, you might as put a lot of crap in a burrito.

Eleven years later and still amazing how inconsistent this place is. Eating at the Pentagon City food court on a spring Sunday afternoon is a bad idea to begin with, but when the burrista (is that a thing?) laid out a teaspoon of rice, a half-thimble of beans, and six millimoles of barbacoa on my tortilla, I wished, for the first time in fifteen years, that I had gone to Taco Bell.

[dcandohio]

I recently returned to Chipotle for the first time since the poisoning issues. Wow. The food was markedly worse. The chicken was seemingly pre-cooked, and was in large, irregular pieces, not the little dice I liked previously. The hot sauce was not as hot as I recall. Everything seemed more bland, more sloppy and more processed. The staff was super friendly, and the place was clean, but I think I'll be hard-pressed to return.

[ktmoomau]

The Ballston store is always a terrible service experience, although the Old Town location seems to be run really efficiently.  I have had it twice recently (they sent me coupons for a pretty much free meal).  I got a steak salad and a barbacoa salad, I normally get limited toppings (fajita veggies, pica, sometimes cheese, dressing, I ask for a small amount of black beans, I don't get guac anymore) and it seemed to be the same as previously, I got a free bag of chips one time and they seemed the same.  But I have never really been a huge fan.  I mainly get it when my office mates want to get it and we don't have anything else in our work fridge.  It seems to be the chains wildly vary between management.

[Simul Parikh]

Totally varies. Overall, getting worse, right? 

[hopsing]

I hit a bad cashier at the Ballston location Monday evening.  First she charged me for guacamole and was really put out when I said I didn't order guacamole.  She asked the server, "didn't she get guacamole" and the server said no.  Then she took forever to fix the bill.  Then she forgot to give me the clementine that went with my kid's meal.  She threw in a moldy clementine.  My bag of food was away from me and she didn't lift a finger to move it closer to me.  Blech!  I hate bad service.

[jasonc]

I go to the one at 123 Front Street in Toronto. If you ever come, it's where the free airport shuttle drops you off. I used to go 3-4 times a week and the staff got to know me pretty well. We'd always joke around and they'd often comp at least my chips and guac and sometimes the entire meal. 

[mare22204]

They just opened a location at the corner of Columbia Pike and Glebe Rd in Arlington, but I don't know how much foot traffic that area gets.  It will be interesting to see - then again folks love their Chipotle.  Another location is opening in the Giant shopping center on S. Jefferson St. and Rt. 7.  The already busy parking lot will be crazy, I'm sure.

 

[Kev29]

1 hour ago, mare22204 said:

then again folks love their Chipotle

Has this been re-confirmed? I'm seeing super short lines at the ones I pass by (yes anecdotal evidence is not evidence).

[genericeric]

2 hours ago, Kev29 said:

Has this been re-confirmed? I'm seeing super short lines at the ones I pass by (yes anecdotal evidence is not evidence).

According to an article in the NY Post just yesterday, you aren't alone: "...revenues declined 23.4 percent in the last quarter and same-store sales were down 30 percent..." and the crowds don't seem to be coming back in their original numbers (many publications, some 'more reputable' agree).

We stuck with the chain throughout the episode.  But then shortly after things died down, I got a chicken bowl that contained meat that was raw in the middle.  Not 'a little pinkish', but raw.  After notifying Chipotle, their response indicated they were taking the matter seriously with the local store and offered us some free burritos.  I politely declined.

[pras]

Has anyone had any luck signing up for "Chiptopia"?

"Chipotle's Loyalty Program (Chiptopia) Starts July 1: What You Need To Know" by Daniel Kline on fool.com

[genericeric]

I don't love Chipotle, but my wife does (even after the aforementioned raw chicken incident up thread), and sometimes it's easier to just shove it in rather than go two places.  So I stop in a few weeks back and think 'Huh. Chorizo. Maybe this is my Chipotle jam.'

I threw the burrito away.  I have never been one to salt food at the table, but as I eat out a majority of my meals, my salt tolerance is not low.  But whoa, this was a sodium bomb that I just couldn't get down - and couldn't believe this passed what I'm sure is extensive market testing by a company of this size before launching a new offering.

Back to my standard kids meal - they aren't bad and are perfectly sized for lunch.

[dcs]

Quote

$3 Burritos on Halloween - Come get ghoulish with us. Just stop by any Chipotle in costume from 3pm to close to get a $3 burrito, bowl, salad, or order of tacos.

 

[pras]

I had dinner at the Chipotle in the Kentlands last week because they were hosting a fundraiser for my daughter's school.  The concept is just not as fresh to me as it was 15 years ago.  It just isn't so appealing to me anymore.  When they first hit the scene around here, I thought it was truly novel, with really good flavors, etc.  Perhaps there is just much more competition now.  Anyone else feel the same way?