Every lunch period, Mamaroneck High School students fan out to their favorite spots on Boston Post Road. Soon, they’ll have one more option on the list as a new Qdoba is opening up within walking distance of campus. Qdoba, a Mexican-inspired fast-casual restaurant, is bringing customizable burritos, bowls, tacos and more to students and residents looking for another lunch or after-school option.

Founded in Denver, Colorado, in 1995, Qdoba has grown from a single burrito shop into a national fast-casual chain with more than 750 locations across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The company presents itself as a chain focused on Mexican-inspired food prepared in-house, with ingredients such as grilled meats, salsas and guacamole made daily.
This new Qdoba location provides relatively healthy food options for Mamaroneck’s student body while also filling a gap in current lunch choices, with similar franchises like Chipotle being out of reach for non-driving students. Qdoba’s new location also offers a high level of convenience for students, being only about a five-minute walk from MHS.
Qdoba’s menu is built around burritos, bowls, tacos, quesadillas, salads and nachos that are assembled to order, with customers choosing a protein, rice or other bases, beans, salsas and toppings. The company highlights the ability to adjust meals for different dietary preferences, offering options that can be put together to fit vegetarian, low-carb or higher-protein approaches as well as more traditional, heavier orders.

For high school students, cost is definitely something to consider. Students will pay around $10 for bowls, burritos, salads, and quesadillas which beats out Chopt’s pricing, as their salads range from $14 to $16. Tristan Boyd (’27) said that “The pricing seems great” and that “it’s less than Chipotle.” The Chipotle comparisons don’t end there. Ilan Arouna (’27), who has tried Qdoba before, described it as “absolutely amazing,” saying he found it “far superior” to its better-known Mexican fast-casual counterpart. He added that he sees Qdoba as a healthier option to many fast food establishments and expects to visit “at least a few times a week” once the Mamaroneck location opens. Qdoba also prides themselves on their free queso and guac “all day every day,” which most students are excited about.

For MHS athletes, Qdoba offers another carb and protein focused meal option for before big games and meets. Griffin Moore (’26), captain of the MHS boys’ varsity swim team, states that it is “helpful to have something close by where I can grab a bowl with rice, beans and chicken so I’m not swimming on just a snack.”

Another restaurant within walking distance gives high schoolers one more option when they want to branch out from your typical Chopt salad, Village chicken and rice, or Sound Seafood poke bowl. As Griffin Moore (’26) noted, “More options for the community is always great to see.”