Syracuse On Target For A ‘Fresh Mexican’ Food Showdown Between Qdoba, Chipotle

The Post-Standard – Syracuse.com:

The other major player in the “fresh Mexican” fast food concept has a few words for Chipotle Mexican Grill:

Qdoba Mexican Grill is coming to the Syracuse area, too.

“That whole corridor, the Syracuse-Rochester-Buffalo market is a priority for us now,” said Todd Owen, Qdoba’s vice president of franchise development. “We will be in more than one location in Syracuse, but one will definitely be oriented to Syracuse University.”

Chipotle and Qdoba are two of the fastest-growing fast-food chains in the nation, and both have been quickly entering the Northeast. Sometimes one will take Manhattan — Chipotle — while another takes Jersey and Philly first, which Qdoba conquered.

“But because of the way we’re growing, we sometimes bump into each other,” said Owen. “And why not? There was always more than one burger guy, one pizza guy, one sub shop. Even if another is first to market, it doesn’t stop the competition.”

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Photo: Ed Andrieski / AP.