Occupy Cafe Rio

[falafel]

I ordered their steak burrito, wet, with a drink. Total came to about $12. The steak was one of their more expensive choices. At Chipotle, a burrito costs about $6, after tax. I don't think a drink is going to bring that up to $12. But I might just have to go eat at the two places again, to prove my point.

Better make sure you don't' get your cafe rio burrito "wet" this next time. And if you're comparing burrito prices, don't get a drink next time.

[falafel]

Maybe it was the extra cost of making it a 'wet' burrito? I don't know, but it was a steak burrito, and a steak burrito only costs about $6 at Chipotle (where they don't serve it wet).

I think you need to re-check your receipts Robin. According to this, a steak burrito at Chipotle costs $7.81 before tax. And that was before a supposed $.50 price increase this past June!

[RobinFinderson]

Better make sure you don't' get your cafe rio burrito "wet" this next time. And if you're comparing burrito prices, don't get a drink next time.

'Wet' just means cheese and sauce on the outside. Subway will toast your sandwich for no additional cost (though it does trigger a hot-food tax in Cali). I don't think Cafe Rio should be charging so much for burrito wetness.

And I could have ordered a beer at Chipotle (another bonus in Chipotle's corner) and it still would have cost less than Cafe Rio.

[RobinFinderson]

I think you need to re-check your receipts Robin. According to this, a steak burrito at Chipotle costs $7.81 before tax. And that was before a supposed $.50 price increase this past June!

That is wrong. i will post photo evidence to the contrary at my earliest convenience.

[dabrockster]

[Surfah]

Chipotle has definitely upped their prices here. It frustrates me to no end when Gidget wants to go there and all she gets is black beans, rice, sour cream and cheese. That's one expensive bean burrito.

[dabrockster]

Chipotle has definitely upped their prices here. It frustrates me to no end when Gidget wants to go there and all she gets is black beans, rice, sour cream and cheese. That's one expensive bean burrito.

Seriously. Sounds like one of my many 50 cent meals in Guate....

[falafel]

'Wet' just means cheese and rice on the outside. Subway will toast your sandwich for no additional cost (though it does trigger a hot-food tax in Cali). I don't think Cafe Rio should be charging so much for burrito wetness.

And I could have ordered a beer at Chipotle (another bonus in Chipotle's corner) and it still would have cost less than Cafe Rio.

Two things Robin.

1. I know what "wet" is. And it doesn't mean "cheese and rice on the outside." It means enchilada sauce and cheese. The rice and bean and pico are free (or at least built into the price of the burrito). You don't get those at Chipotle.

2. Subway toasting your sandwich is totally different. It would only be analogous if Cafe Rio were merely "toasting" your burrito for a few seconds. Instead, ordering your burrito "stilo enchilado" adds additional ingredients to your order, not just heat. Whether the extra enchilada sauce and cheese are worth the extra ~$1 you pay is a separate debate.

Also, I dispute your burrito + beer is cheaper point. What kind of beer? Are you ordering rice and beans on the side? Pico de gallo and lettuce? Extra enchilada sauce and cheese?

[RobinFinderson]

Chipotle has definitely upped their prices here. It frustrates me to no end when Gidget wants to go there and all she gets is black beans, rice, sour cream and cheese. That's one expensive bean burrito.

Yes, this is my problem with bringing LittleRobin to Chipotle. The burrito seems like a fair price, if you pack full of everything, but the chicken and beans and cheese that LR gets is one thin log.

[RobinFinderson]

Two things Robin.

1. I know what "wet" is. And it doesn't mean "cheese and rice on the outside." It means enchilada sauce and cheese. The rice and bean and pico are free (or at least built into the price of the burrito). You don't get those at Chipotle.

2. Subway toasting your sandwich is totally different. It would only be analogous if Cafe Rio were merely "toasting" your burrito for a few seconds. Instead, ordering your burrito "stilo enchilado" adds additional ingredients to your order, not just heat. Whether the extra enchilada sauce and cheese are worth the extra ~$1 you pay is a separate debate.

Also, I dispute your burrito + beer is cheaper point. What kind of beer? Are you ordering rice and beans on the side? Pico de gallo and lettuce? Extra enchilada sauce and cheese?

I corrected the "rice" on the outside thing, but not before you quoted it. I meant "sauce."

Obviously this debate will only come to a satisfactory conclusion after I have visited both establishments again, and documented my experience. I will do so soon, but not today. Fair?

[falafel]

I corrected the "rice" on the outside thing, but not before you quoted it. I meant "sauce."

Obviously this debate will only come to a satisfactory conclusion after I have visited both establishments again, and documented my experience. I will do so soon, but not today. Fair?

Sure, you do that.

But just to add to the discussion, I just "ordered" a Chipotle steak burrito and a "dry" Cafe Rio burrito online. The two stores are within 1 block of each other here in Las Vegas. Here is the base cost:

Chipotle: $6.25 (looks like you were correct, at least regarding Las Vegas prices. Apparently New York prices are about $2 more than Vegas prices).

Cafe Rio: $7.50. That is a "dry" burrito, which is what you should be comparing, not a "wet" one. Indeed, it is more expensive, but as I noted, the $7.50 price tag also includes rice, beans, lettuce and pico de gallo on the side. I would think those 4 items would easily be worth $1.25 alone.

In other words, I think the prices are just about equal.

Edit:

In terms of pork burritos, there's not really a direct comparison, but Chipotle offers a carnitas burritos for $6.25, while Cafe Rio offers a pork barbacoa burrito for $6.95 (again served with rice, beans, lettuce and salsa included).

[Surfah]

Seriously. Sounds like one of my many 50 cent meals in Guate....

Exactly. Though having served my mission in Denver, Chipotle has a soft place in my heart. I knew about Chipotle before McDonald's invested heavily in them and there was one in every city. I used to eat at the original one at Evans and Gilpin often as a missionary. The Chipotle's in Denver were always packed. At lunch lines would be out the building and down the sidewalk. I remember telling my dad we need to open a franchise. When I got home from my mission looking into a franchise was one of the first things I did. By then though McDonald's had secured all the franchisees they wanted.

[YOhio]

I corrected the "rice" on the outside thing, but not before you quoted it. I meant "sauce."

Obviously this debate will only come to a satisfactory conclusion after I have visited both establishments again, and documented my experience. I will do so soon, but not today. Fair?

Fair! But please do so at your earliest convenience. I'd like to see a fairly quick resolution to this debate.

[Katy Lied]

What I absolutely love about Cafe Rio is that in their drinks dispenser, they dispense plain water, and also carbonated fizzy water. I love that stuff.

I dont know if it's honest, but I get the water cup and then make multiple trips to refill it with delish carbonated water.

[RobinFinderson]

Sure, you do that.

But just to add to the discussion, I just "ordered" a Chipotle steak burrito and a "dry" Cafe Rio burrito online. The two stores are within 1 block of each other here in Las Vegas. Here is the base cost:

Chipotle: $6.25 (looks like you were correct, at least regarding Las Vegas prices. Apparently New York prices are about $2 more than Vegas prices).

Cafe Rio: $7.50. That is a "dry" burrito, which is what you should be comparing, not a "wet" one. Indeed, it is more expensive, but as I noted, the $7.50 price tag also includes rice, beans, lettuce and pico de gallo on the side. I would think those 4 items would easily be worth $1.25 alone.

In other words, I think the prices are just about equal.

Edit:

In terms of pork burritos, there's not really a direct comparison, but Chipotle offers a carnitas burritos for $6.25, while Cafe Rio offers a pork barbacoa burrito for $6.95 (again served with rice, beans, lettuce and salsa included).

From my experience, where I basically ordered two burritos with 'the works,' the Chipotle burrito has a lot more stuffed inside. All of that stuffing includes lettuce, beans, rice and sauce. My point is this -- I think the Chipotle burrito, in terms of contents, is easily the equivalent of a wet Cafe Rio burrito. Accepting that the two products are basically made of the same sorts of ingredients, can we agree that a cost/ounce would be a fair comparison?