There are certain items that chains are known for. When it comes to Chipotle, everyone talks about the burrito bowls and Taco Bell has gotten in on the action.
While Taco Bell and Chipotle seemed like they were in two different leagues, the launch of the new Cantina Chicken Bowl changed all of that. Some might be heading to Taco Bell over Chipotle or vice versa.
Whether you're on the fence or just want to try something new, then it's time to take it to the drawing board and see which tex-mex chain has the better value. While this is just an experiment, we don't truly know which one will give you more food as that is honestly based on the workers.
Regardless, I do think this topic has been something people have been wondering about and given all the hype for the Cantina Chicken Menu, it couldn't come at a better time.
Which chicken burrito bowl is the better value: Taco Bell or Chipotle?
Let's start by sharing what comes in the Cantina Chicken Bowl from Taco Bell: "The Cantina Chicken Bowl is a bowl filled with slow-roasted chicken, seasoned rice, black beans, Avocado Ranch sauce, reduced-fat sour cream, lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, freshly prepared pico de gallo, guacamole, and cheddar cheese." As you can see, that's a lot of different ingredients in there and at my location, the bowl is priced at $8.49, not including tax.
Moving onto Chipotle, I decided to just do a regular chicken burrito bowl with the chicken, rice, beans, lettuce, fajita veggies, cheese, and sour cream. In total, that came up to $9.25, not including tax or any extra add-ons. If you were looking to add guacamole, that would cost you an extra $2.70 so that would take your order up to $11.95. As you can see, that's not exactly a budget-friendly option.
This one is tough as Chipotle allows you the opportunity to create a bowl based on exactly what you're looking for at that moment. As for Taco Bell, you're pretty limited in what you can add without it costing too much. Ultimately though, the better value is Taco Bell as you're getting more bang for your buck.
Even so, Chipotle has that made-to-order feeling that some are looking for. As long as you can keep the add-ons to a minimum, you can feed yourself for less than $10.00 at Chipotle. However if you're wanting to try the Cantina Chicken Menu, then I'd say head to Taco Bell.
For most of these challenges, there's a clear winner but let's just call this chicken burrito bowl battle a tie.