High school students are passionate about their 30 minute lunches. It’s a race from when the bell rings to corral together your friends, efficiently file in the car, and… decide where to go eat? It’s all a familiar routine, you start driving outside the school when everyone realizes they don’t quite know where they want to go. Some common suggestions often include Rice Time, Safeway, Noodles and Co., Costco, Cafe Yum, Panda Express, Starbucks, but alas, there are the stand out favorites, Chipotle and Qdoba. Oddly enough they are (dare I say) essentially the same thing. Though if you find someone who disagrees with your preference between the two, it could result in a friendship ending argument. I figure I might as well attempt to save a few relationships and work to fairly weigh in both.

The first issue, students are allotted exactly 34 minutes of lunch. Taking into consideration parking lot traffic, waiting in line, eating, and driving back, it’s hardly enough time. Nonetheless it can be done, though this brings in the crucial element of restaurant location. And for this round, Chipotle wins with flying colors. A trek to Qdoba will cost you an extra 1.3 miles. However if you are student in favor of driving with an extra skip in your step, this may be no issue.

Next, as young teenagers, our wallets are far from full. It is crucial to consider the price of lunch, and with no extra charge on guacamole and queso, Qdoba takes this round.

While both restaurants have their own appeals, many may discard any other factor and decide the better option exclusively on taste. The only true teller of taste is shown in asking the masses.