Colorado’s Burrito Battle: Which Homegrown Chain Do Locals Actually Prefer?
Fast food is deeply woven into American culture, but favorite chains vary widely from state to state. A new report from Visual Capitalist highlights just how regional those preferences can be — and in Colorado, the top pick may surprise some people.
According to the study, Qdoba is Colorado’s favorite fast food restaurant, outranking Chipotle despite both brands sharing Mile High City roots. While Chipotle has grown into a global giant, Coloradans appear to be sticking with the chain that followed closely behind it in Denver’s fast-casual boom of the 1990s.
Chipotle was founded in 1993 inside a former ice cream shop near the University of Denver. Just two years later, in 1995, Qdoba entered the scene and began building a loyal following of its own. Since then, the two brands have competed side by side, particularly in Colorado, where they remain evenly matched in physical presence. As of the most recent data, both Chipotle and Qdoba operate 91 locations statewide — though Chipotle far surpasses Qdoba nationally, with more than 3,700 restaurants compared to Qdoba’s roughly 844.
Colorado’s preference for Qdoba mirrors a broader national trend highlighted in the study: states often gravitate toward fast food brands with local or regional origins. Visual Capitalist found that 28 different chains were named as favorites across the country. Texas favored Whataburger, founded in Corpus Christi. Ohio leaned toward Wendy’s, which began in Columbus. New York picked Shake Shack, which launched in Madison Square Park.
The report notes that these hometown ties help explain why fast food in the U.S. can feel both national and deeply personal at the same time. When a brand becomes part of a state’s identity, convenience turns into tradition.
Nationally, Wendy’s topped the list as the most popular chain, earning favorite status in six states, while Sonic followed closely behind with five. To determine each state’s favorite, the study relied on FinanceBuzz data that analyzed Google Trends interest and normalized results based on the number of restaurants per 100,000 residents.
For Colorado, the takeaway is clear: while Chipotle may dominate headlines and global expansion, Qdoba still holds the home-field advantage.
