There have been some heated debates over which Mexican food restaurant has earned the name of THE go-to place. Some say Chipotle, others say Qdoba.

Where is the line drawn to decide which place is better? Is there even a line to be drawn? Is there even a Mexican food smack down to be fought or is there a clear winner? Or no winner? Despite all the questions out there about these very similar…but oh so different places… which one is superior?

Let us start with Chipotle. Chipotle opened in 1993 and has been a game changer ever since. Chipotle’s fan base are die-hard supporters. Chipotle’s guacamole is their signature item, it has won the hearts of many. These fans do not mind being told over and over that guacamole costs extra. This is considered music to their ears.

“It’s just so creamy and fresh,” said Jennifer Edwards, a Chipotle lover. “There isn’t a competition to what place is better, the winner starts with a ‘C.’ I don’t think I have ever heard of anyone trying to make Qdoba’s guacamole in their free time.”

“I don’t mind paying the extra money at Chipotle,” said customer Randy Adams. “As a broke college student, it takes a lot for me to genuinely splurge on an item, and I would gladly splurge at Chipotle…anytime, any day.”

Qdoba opened their doors in 1995. Opening two years behind Chipotle means nothing to these admirers because they live for that melted queso, which has created the reputation that Qdoba has earned. Supporters of Qdoba love to watch the workers pour queso onto their meals, it gets their hearts beating a little faster.

“Once I tried Qdoba, I never even laid an eye back on Chipotle,” said Andrew Lopez, a Qdoba aficionado. “Qdoba never disappoints, it has always been there for me.”

Qdoba’s queso has a recipe that cannot be replaced in the hearts of their fans.

“Chipotle’s staple item is their guacamole, but you have to pay extra for that…at Qdoba you don’t need to pay extra for that delicious queso…and that to me just proves that Qdoba is better,” said customer Daniel Hunter. “Qdoba’s menu also contains more choices than Chipotle…this isn’t even a debate, Qdoba clearly wins.”

To the people who either do not care for either, or just genuinely like both, congratulations for being the third party. Open-minded people like you are important to our society.

“Chipotle is my summer burrito and Qdoba is my winter burrito,” said Tori Cervi, a student at Colorado State University. “Something about that queso at Qdoba makes it warmer and cozier, which is more comforting during the winter time.”

Both places have their pros and cons, which leads to this debate never being settled. There will probably never be a clear winner. To the die-hard fans or either or the people who cannot decide or just do not care for either: eat what you want and where you want.

 Mareena Winchell can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @mareenaaaa_.