Qdoba 3 Tacos Calories

[Hasan Fogg]

Realisticallythough, many will stay on State Street and find themselves choosing between the Mexican-ish chains Chipotle and Qdoba. It's pointless to compare either with a taqueria. Well, maybe that's not quite true. If you're counting calories, have food allergies or other dietary issues, or eat vegetarian or vegan, you're going to find a more welcoming experience at Chipotle and Qdoba. Everything is labeled, every calorie is counted, and you can ascertain that the beans haven't been cooked in lard.

Comparing Qdoba and Chipotle to each other is a popular pastime and a debate I should probably hesitate to enter, but here goes. Both Qdoba and Chipotle feature a cafeteria style line where you can order burritos or tacos with mix-and-match fillings. I say this just in case you've never been to either spot.

The first thing people usually mention about Chipotle is that "it's owned by McDonald's." That's not true anymore; McDonald's unloaded its share in the business back in 2006. Chipotle also differentiates itself with a commitment to using locally grown foods and meats raised naturally without antibiotics. That's true for the chicken and the pork here in Wisconsin, and some locations -- half overall-- also feature naturally-raised beef. 30% of Chipotle's beans are organic, and its sour cream is made from dairy without rGBH. For a national chain to make this kind of commitment to better agricultural practices and to try to buy locally produced vegetables, too, is laudable and probably should be rewarded.

That said, I like the way the food tastes a little better at Qdoba, but not enough to ignore the efforts that Chipotle is making in its ingredient-sourcing. Truthfully, I don't find there is very much difference in the taste of the burritos.

Both chains base the burritos in a cilantro-lime rice that's quite lively. Most of the taste of the burritos comes from the rice and the salsas, so I often choose to go vegetarian. The veggie burrito comes with guacamole and choice of pinto or black beans at both places. Both places have disappointing, sharp-tasting guacamole where the sour cream taste is winning over the avocado. Qdoba has the edge in the salsas, with several more to choose from, including a "fiery habenero" missing at Chipotle.

Qdoba features a couple of special burritos that are worth the effort: a chicken mole burrito and a poblano pesto burrito that get away from the standard red sauce taste and are better than what you get at certain margarita-based Mexican sit-down restaurants in the area. On the other hand, Chipotle's carnitas (stewed pork) filling is the winner as far as either chain's meats are concerned -- tender and rich. Qdoba doesn't feature pork, just chicken and beef.

You can also order anything from the filling bar concocted into a salad or a taco, and at Qdoba, into a quesadilla as well. While the menu prices don't vary much between $5-$7 at either chain, Chipotle's servings are smaller. Usually I'm shocked at the gigantic size of the burritos pretty much everywhere, but the last time I ordered a burrito at Chipotle I was shocked at how small it was. I, who usually take half of a meal home with me, polished off the Chipotle burrito without even leaving a taste for my dog. It was a more realistic meal portion, that's for certain.

Finally, Qdoba has the edge with its nutrition info available online. The calorie, carb, and fat counts for everything on the menu are easily findable, and there's a calculator function so you can dream up your meal your way and see just how much adding the sour cream and subtracting the shredded beef will net you.

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of the New Year, QDOBA, a leading fast-casual Mexican restaurant chain, launched new, health-conscious creations under the Vegetarian, Keto & More category of their online menu. Introduced on December 29, the new entres are designed to provide customers with better-for-you menu options that help meet guests' dietary goals and needs, such as keto, vegetarian, low-carb, gluten-free and more, and do so without sacrificing flavor. The better-for-you offerings include QDOBA's recently introduced Mexican Cauliflower Mash, a low-carb alternative to rice made with fresh cauliflower that's oven-roasted in-house daily. This flavorful and keto-friendly option, with only 6 grams of carbs per 4.5 oz. serving, has quickly become a fan favorite.

"With many people looking to improve their personal wellness in the New Year, we wanted to offer our guests a wide range of menu options that help them achieve their goals, while offering the same flavor-packed experience QDOBA is known for, starting with our new Mexican Cauliflower Mash, a low-carb rice alternative," said Katy Velazquez, executive chef at QDOBA. "Try it in your favorite entre or in one of our new lifestyle entre options that have been created with our customers' dietary #BowlGoals in mind."

"Each of these new creations are pushing our creative boundaries for flavor and fit perfectly with today's healthy lifestyles," adds Velazquez. "Our fresh ingredients will continue to serve as the foundation of our savory flavors and enticing menu creations."

To encourage guests to try QDOBA's health-conscious options, customers ordering any of the entres listed under the Vegetarian, Keto & More online menu category beginning yesterday, January 11 through Sunday, January 17 will receive a free entre on a future visit in their "Try One, Get One" promotion. Guests must be a new or existing rewards member to earn the free future entre, and the reward will be applied to their Rewards Wallet. The offer will run systemwide. More information on the offer can be found at qdoba.com/free-flavors.

The new entre options are available online under the Vegetarian, Keto & More category at all 740+ QDOBA restaurant locations and can be ordered for delivery via QDOBA.com or the QDOBA app. To download the QDOBA app, visit the iTunes App Store or Google Play.

About QDOBA Mexican EatsQDOBA is a fast-casual Mexican restaurant with more than 740 locations in the U.S. and Canada. Committed to bringing flavor to people's lives, QDOBA uses ingredients prepared in-house, by hand, and fresh throughout the day, to create delicious menu options. Guests can experience QDOBA's delicious flavors by enjoying one of its signature menu options that are chef-crafted for convenience and ease or by customizing their burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, salads, quesadillas, and nachos to fit their personal tastes. For two years running, QDOBA has been voted the "Best Fast Casual Restaurant" as part of the USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. Discover more at www.QDOBA.com or on the QDOBA app, which is available for download on the iTunes App Store or Google Play. Fans can also connect with QDOBA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Stoner said an order of the three mini tacos contains 330 calories for the pork version and 360 calories for the beef. By comparison, a three-taco order of the signature tacos made with flour tortillas is 420 calories with the pulled pork and 510 calories with beef.

Let's start with QDOBA, where "QDOBA stands for flavor." Grab three Street Style Chicken Tacos with "grilled adobo chicken in a soft corn tortilla topped with hand-smashed guac, salsa verde, red onion, and cotija cheese" and you'll scarf down 470 calories, 22 grams of fat, and a jaw-dropping 1,340 milligrams of sodium (via QDOBA). The calories themselves aren't horrific, but almost 200 of them come from fat. And 1,340 milligrams of sodium is more than half of your daily allotment. Sure, you'll be super thirsty after noshing, but the worst part is, you'll also increase your risk for high blood pressure, which puts excess strain on your heart. Order a tall glass of water on the side, so you can flush some of that sodium out.

More of a flour tortilla fan? The same meal jumps to 520 calories, 25 grams of fat, and 1,540 milligrams of sodium. Switch from corn to flour tortillas and the extra 200 milligrams of sodium you consume is the equivalent of 19 Lay's Potato Chips (via Lay's). Seems QDOBA stands for sodium too. Better make that a pitcher of water.

But wait, don't jump off the QDOBA bandwagon yet. Let's head on over to Chipotle. Walk the line and create three tacos similar to the QDOBA triad, with chicken, salsa, guac, and cheese and, brace yourself, you'll gorge on 795 calories, 45 grams of fat, and an ENTIRE day's worth of salt (1,900 milligrams). That's if you compare apples-to-apples (or tacos-to-tacos). Skip the guac and shave off 230 calories and 22 grams of fat. Dodge the cheese and avoid another 110 calories and 8 grams of fat. But what are you left with? A flour tortilla with chicken and salsa, and a hankering for more food.

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