Chipotle Is No Longer America’s Most Popular Mexican Chain

Poor Chipotle just can’t catch a break. Over the past year, the restaurant has faced E. coli outbreaks and consequential sales drops. Now, after all that, another Mexican chain has swooped in and stolen its die-hard fans. Moe’s Southwestern Grill was just named Brand of the Year for fast-casual Mexican dining by The Harris Poll. The poll, which is based on over 97,000 customer responses, found that patrons most appreciated Moe’s “willingness to listen and respond to diner feedback and needs.” Other top contenders for best Mexican chain in the U.S. included Taco Bell, Qdoba, and Baja Fresh Mexican Grill. The craziest part of the poll’s results is that Chipotle, which has been named Brand of the Year for the past three years, didn’t even make the top four this year. In fact, according to a Placed survey, Moe's has seen a 5% increase in foot traffic, which can be attributed, in part, to Chipotle's recent issues. The numbers from the Harris Poll don't lie, but at the end of the day, I'm still a Chipotle lover for life. (Eater)