Do you often find yourself dreaming of a mountainous Chipotle burrito bowl topped off with a towering pile of guacamole? How about rolling out of your bed and walking to a Chipotle five minutes from your dorm room? Well, for those of Chipotle lovers out there, these dreams will have to remain fantasies as Fordham has announced that there will be no Chipotle replacing the beloved Grille on campus.
In a recent article written by Ram Realm veteran Connor Ryan, Fordham’s dining contract liaison Deming Yaun confirmed that Chipotle felt there would be better business opportunities off campus rather than on campus.
With rumors of the arrival of a Chipotle on campus for the past year, Fordham students and Chipotle disciples got their hopes up that there would be a day when burrito and guacamole cravings could be cured without taking a Ram Van to a downtown Chipotle.
With the news of Chipotle and Fordham’s fall out, fans of the popular burrito chain will have to reign in their daydreams and save up for some Ram Van tickets.
Avid Chipotle lover, Andrew Vitiello, FCRH ’14, said that he was devastated. As a second semester senior he explains that, “A Chipotle for one semester would have made up for four years of misery.”
When asked how he has been satiating his ravenous Chipotle hunger for the past four years, Vitiello said that he takes frequent trips into Manhattan to the Chipotle near Lincoln Center or Penn Station.
“And then I’ll go on Chipotle binges when I’m home for breaks,” Vitiello admitted.
Vitiello is apparently not the only student at Fordham with a passion for gourmet Mexican food. Camille Raimondi, FCRH ’14 is another Chipotle lover willingly to travel in order to curb her cravings.
“My friends and I drive to Yonkers all the time for Chipotle.” Raimondi said. “It’s worth it.”
Now with all of these disappointed burrito buffs sulking around campus, what will Fordham’s dining services do to replace the idea of a Mexican grill on campus? At this point, possibilities include Wholly Habaneros, Sodexo’s wannabe Chipotle counterpart.
Already serving campuses like University of Albany, University of South Carolina and California State University, Fordham could very well be next to welcome Sodexo’s Mexican marketplace. Justin Faha, UAlbany ’14 said that even though he’s only been there a few times, it was “honestly, not that bad.” He also said that general consensus on campus was that it was “quick food that presented diverse options other than [their] campus center.”
Other students at UAlbany offered different sentiments. Another senior who wished to remain nameless stated that, “[Wholly Habaneros] is definitely no Chipotle.” Another student, who also wished to remain nameless, shook his head and said, “It’s not that good.”
So, obviously there will be some differences in ingredients and taste. But, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. How do the prices differ between Wholly Habaneros and Chipotle?
According to Wholly Habaneros menu posted on UAlbany’s dining website, a basic chicken burrito is $5.59 while a chicken burrito at Chipotle is $6.25. A burrito bowl, a very popular menu item at Chipotle ranges between $6.25 and $6.65, while a bowl at Wholly Habaneros ranges between $6.29 to $6.79. So depending on your preferences, your DCB could either thrive or suffer with the installation of a Wholly Habaneros versus Chipotle.
Though Fordham seniors will miss the chance to see what becomes of Fordham’s Grille and dining options, students can rest assured and disappointed that no Chipotle will move onto campus. But the Fordham community should not lose faith too quickly — if business proves opportune off campus, there could be chance that a Chipotle could find a home not far from Fordham’s Rose Hill campus. Chipotle lovers, there may still be hope.