I ordered the same meal at Chipotle and Qdoba. One chain was the clear winner.

Chipotle was my lifeline in college, and I've been pretty loyal to it in recent years during the rare occasions I opt for fast-casual dining.

The chain is known for its made-to-order format, allowing customers to customize bowls, tacos, salads, and burritos. It also offers family meal deals, which are discounted bundles for four to six people.

Many fans also rave about its six-ingredient guacamole, which is said to be mashed up fresh every day.

I'd never visited a Qdoba before, but I was open to seeing if the underdog could become my new go-to.

Like Chipotle, Qdoba is recognized for its personalized fare. However, I find variety sets it apart.

Beyond the basics, Qdoba offers broader on-theme entreés like nachos, cheese-crusted quesadillas, and desserts. It also has combo deals and bundles for bigger groups.

Perhaps the biggest perk is free queso and guacamole with every build-your-own entreé. Both of these cost extra at Chipotle.

The Chipotle I visited had rows of metal containers filled with six proteins — including its newer pollo asado that, to my surprise, cost about $0.65 more than regular chicken — seven toppings, four salsas, and two types of rice and beans.

I kept my order simple (read: no fancy pollo asado), choosing regular chicken, white rice, black beans, pico de gallo, green salsa, queso, and guacamole.

The chicken bowl itself cost $9.50. Queso added $1.70 and guacamole a whopping $2.95, so my bowl came to $14.15. After adding chips and hot salsa for $2.30, my order totaled $16.45 before tax.

At this location, metal containers showcased seven proteins, 13 toppings, six salsas, and two types of rice and beans. I also spotted two signature quesos: three-cheese and diablo.

Clearly, Qdoba upheld its reputation for extensive customization by offering more options than Chipotle.

I ordered a burrito bowl with chicken, white rice, black beans, pico de gallo, green salsa, three-cheese queso, and guacamole for $10.75. With chips and hot salsa added on for $3.45, my meal cost $14.20 before tax — $2.25 cheaper than Chipotle.

Chipotle is usually generous with portions, in my experience, and this oval-shaped burrito bowl was no exception.

Rice and beans lined the bottom, followed by a moderate amount of chicken and proportionate toppings. I appreciated the heaping glob of guacamole, given that it cost nearly $3 extra.

Weight-wise, the Qdoba bowl felt just as heavy as the Chipotle one, and copious queso instantly piqued my taste buds. Plus, the guacamole seemed almost as plentiful as Chipotle's — and it was free.

That said, I only noticed a few pieces of chicken at first glance. I figured the rest may be hiding underneath the blanket of queso.

Chipotle's rice had a strong cilantro flavor and wasn't soggy at all. The pico de gallo also delivered on texture, thanks to the succulent tomato chunks and crunchy onion bits.

Unfortunately, inconsistent chicken pieces tanked this winning texture streak for me. Some were chewy and fatty, others were tender or juicy. The chicken itself had a nice grilled taste, but texture-wise, every bite felt like a gamble.

Thankfully, queso made up for it. Bursting with cheesy flavor, the creamy sauce cut the heat, spice, and intensity of the other ingredients. I also appreciated the slight kick at the end.

Speaking of creamy, Chipotle's guacamole was silky smooth with perfectly sized bits of cilantro and onion throughout. It certainly hit the spot, but honestly, I didn't find it worth the $2.95 markup.

The bowl's biggest surprise was the beans, which normally feel like a background element. Chipotle's black beans had an oddly craveable, mildly smoky taste that reminded me of baked beans. They caught me off guard in the best way.

Overall, the flavors melded beautifully, combining smoky, bright, rich, sharp, and spicy notes.

I had high hopes for Qdoba. Unfortunately, it fell short for me.

Those who enjoy zesty, lime-forward notes would enjoy the white rice, but in my opinion, it overpowered the other ingredients. It probably didn't help that the portion of it seemed so large.

Speaking of excess — although I was initially thrilled about the extra queso and liked the silky texture, I didn't love the strong taste, which sort of reminded me of nacho or American cheese.

When reached for comment, chef Katy Velazquez, vice president of culinary innovation at Qdoba, said that the queso "draws inspiration from traditional Mexican flavors, with ingredients like roasted poblano peppers and fresh tomatoes that give it a more complex, distinctive flavor."

The bowl didn't come with much chicken after all, and I didn't mind. The pieces I ate were tough and springy, requiring more chewing than expected. Texture aside, the grilled chicken had a nice abodo flavor and a rich, roasted profile.

Like the chicken, Qdoba's pico de gallo missed the mark on texture for me. With a wet, soggy consistency, it felt anything but fresh. At least the black beans were solid.

In my mind, guacamole was the main redeeming element of this bowl. It tasted mild, velvety, and perfectly salted, and I enjoyed the small avocado chunks. It was even better because it was free.

I couldn't believe how many chips came in the Chipotle and Qdoba bags. Spread out on plates, they towered above my entreés.

The chains seemed to provide me with nearly identical portions; although I paid $1.15 more at Qdoba, the price still felt reasonable for how many chips I got.

For me, neither chain's hot salsa surpassed the jarred stuff. I didn't find Chipotle's spicy enough, and it tasted strangely sweet and almost bitter.

Qdoba's had some heat, but it leaned more toward tomato sauce than salsa to me. The runny texture didn't help.

As for chips, Chipotle's were crunchy and classic. Qdoba's also had some crunch, but I couldn't get behind the hefty dusting of salt.

Since Qdoba's burrito bowl was a few bucks cheaper, I wanted to like it more than Chipotle's. Guacamole aside, it didn't come close.

Plus, had I skipped queso and guacamole at Chipotle (which I occasionally do anyway), a basic chicken burrito bowl would actually be $1.25 cheaper than at Qdoba.

So, the best deal depends on what you typically order and how much you love your fixings.

Even though I wouldn't go back to Qdoba for a burrito bowl or chips, some of its other menu items caught my attention. I'm still thinking about that cheese-crusted quesadilla.

When it comes to burrito bowls, however, this taste test only reaffirmed my loyalty to Chipotle.

Chef Katy Velazquez, vice president of culinary innovation at Qdoba, also provided the following statement:

Business Insider reached out to Chipotle for comment.