Carrying a flavorful and compelling nature, both Taco Bell and Chipotle offer Mexican-style cuisine for people on-the-go or a group of friends enjoying a meal together.
With both restaurants being frequented in the area, each has their outstanding qualities, as well as some things they could be doing better.
In regards to shareables, both Taco Bell and Chipotle have delicious options for customers to snack on.
To start off, Taco Bell’s popular Nacho Fries serve as a perfect option for a quick snack or small meal.
Seasoned with a variety of Mexican seasonings, these tasty fries pack a punch of flavor, even just by themselves.
However, when paired with their warm, cheesy nacho sauce, it is difficult to find a better alternative.
With this being said, the fries lean rather on the “soggy” side, with almost no crunch that a regular fry would provide.
On the other hand, Chipotle’s Chips and Queso is another snack that is to die for.
Their tortilla chips, perfectly salted with just the right crunch, provide a different level of authenticity regarding Mexican food. In addition, Chipotle’s delicious jalapeno queso compliments the chips with just a touch of spice and a load of cheesy flavor.
The only valid critique of this dish is the queso to chip ratio.
While there are different sizes one can order, it is necessary to provide more chips for more queso.
In regards to the main course, both restaurants have a large selection of options, just in different ways.
Taco Bell’s menu, a large, glorious array of options, provides choices ranging from Doritos Locos Tacos to the notorious Crunchwrap Supreme.
They also carry limited time specials that add to their menu’s variety.
And while Chipotle may not have as many options regarding the structure of their food, Chipotle allows customers to customize their meal to their liking, and have it made right in front of them.
With three different types of beans and salsa and six varying kinds of protein, you truly can build what you want with the large variety of options presented.
To compare the two, Taco Bell’s hard-shelled Dorito tacos filled with ground beef, lettuce and cheese were put against Chipotle’s hard-shell tacos.
Taco Bell’s tacos came pre-made with toppings while Chipotle had a variety of items to add into the order.
Taco Bell offers standard toppings on a majority of their menu while items such as sour cream or guacamole are considered “supreme” items and cost extra.
Overall, the tacos shells remained crunchy throughout and the mix of toppings offered a very flavorful experience.
In comparison, the Chipotle tacos were filled to the brim with fresh chicken, black beans, cilantro rice, lettuce, salsa, cheese and sour cream with no extra charge on any toppings.
The tacos offered a more homestyle and fresher taste than Taco Bells’ from the char of the grill to the garnishes from the cilantro.
Differing from Taco Bells’, the hard shells of Chipotle’s tacos seemed to fall apart rather quickly, but mostly were due to the fact that they were packed fuller with toppings.
Finally the price factor also plays a part in the comparison.
The items bought at Taco Bell, totaled around $18, while the items from Chipotle were close to $16.