PortionVerityTwo sample bowls
We selected a chicken, rice, beans and vegetable bowl for each restaurant and included each chain's published ingredient portions. Chipotle's example uses brown rice and no salsa; QDOBA's uses cilantro lime rice and pico de gallo. The ingredients are similar, not identical.
| Ingredient | Serving | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chipotle example bowl | Brown rice, black beans, chicken, fajita vegetables | 540 | 45 g | 63 g | 860 mg |
| QDOBA example bowl | Cilantro lime rice, black beans, chicken, fajita vegetables, pico | 565 | 32 g | 68 g | 1345 mg |
Why the protein values differ
Chipotle's published chicken entry is 4 oz with 32 g protein. QDOBA's November 2026 grilled adobo chicken entry is 3.5 oz with 19 g protein. These are not equal-weight servings, so the comparison cannot identify an intrinsic difference in the nutritional value of the chicken itself.
Why sodium needs its own comparison
The Chipotle brown-rice portion is listed at 190 mg sodium, while QDOBA's cilantro lime rice is listed at 390 mg. Sauces can substantially alter the totals. Comparing complete customized orders requires listing everything actually included—not just their headlines.
Use an interactive A/B comparison
Use the meal builder to set a Chipotle bowl as comparison A, switch restaurants, build a QDOBA order, and set it as comparison B. The tool shows the ingredient-derived totals side by side.