Chipotle Mexican Grill

Chipotle is pretty good for a chain.  This location at Eddy Street Commons is always packed due to the proximity to Notre Dame.  My most recent visit was today for a quick lunch with a co-worker.

The line was practically out the door, but we got through pretty quick.  I ordered my usual vegetarian burrito bowl (one way to get the great guac without having to pay the extra $1.80 for it!).  

By the time it was my turn to pay, the poor cashier was so completely overwhelmed.  There was a line to the side of several people waiting for large to-go orders so she stopped to ring up several of them, but forgot about everyone else waiting in line, which caused a huge backup.  However, this actually worked to my advantage as the manager felt so bad for my wait that she comped my lunch!

The sitting is limited so it can be hard to find a place to sit (it's a little better when the weather is warm since there is an outdoor patio area).  We managed to squeeze into a tall two top - seating is crammed so plan to make new friends.

Overall, not bad for a fast-casual chain restaurant!

As a person who has worked at Chipotle before, I can honestly say that I love Chipotle as a company and love the food.  The service here, however, seems to be extremely lacking.  I have gone a few times since getting back to school and have found myself complaining after ever single visit.  During a huge lunch rush, they ran out of both white rice and barbacoa which is both inconvenient and not supposed to happen.  I was also shocked at the lack of meat given out.  Both times I've gotten about half of a four ounce serving without a smile or a nod.  I was also appalled at the fact that my burrito bowl leaked all over me when transporting it home.  I took it out of the bag only to find that the lid had barely been sealed on one side but whoever had closed it had neglected to take the time to seal it all around.  I also had a terrible time getting guacomole on the side because after ordering two servings, and its delicious but not cheap, the girl who served me didn't bother filling the first to the top before tossing it aside.  She only filled the other one all the way after I explicitly asked her to.  Needless to say I was disappointed.  Maybe the employees just need more training but they definitely don't embody Chipotle the way they should.

I like Chipotle's food, but service at this location is sub-par. Being served by noob employees who short me on ingredients is getting really old. If you're going to charge a buck-eighty for guac...please at least train your employees to give customers their money's worth. NO, lady, I'm not going to be happy with two tablespoonfuls of guac for nearly two dollars!  The seating situation at this restaurant is also pretty terrible during peak hours. Again, I don't know whose bright idea it was to open a restaurant in northern Indiana that has half of its seating located outside. SMH.