It’s a wrap for Lancaster Avenue’s Qdoba Mexican Eats.
Despite the closing, the nation-wide Mexican chain—the Starry to Chipotle’s Sprite—still has its fans, especially if you think charging extra for guac or queso is a rip off. The restaurant’s closure also seems to be at odds with food preferences throughout the country. In fact, Qdoba was named “Best Fast Casual Restaurant” on USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for the seventh straight year.
So, what caused the decline of the Bryn Mawr location?
The saying “location, location, location” seems to be true for Qdoba. The one on Lancaster Avenue was located in an area with a lot of food options. Just across the street were Hope’s Cookies and SNAP Custom Pizza & Salad. If you expand the travel radius, diners can find popular fast-casual chains like CAVA, Sweetgreen, and Shake Shack. Qdoba is close, but not close enough to the nearby colleges of Villanova, Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr, and Haverford.
With so many students in the general vicinity, one would think of Qdoba as thriving, at least until winter and summer breaks, but that is simply not happening.
“I think that what made Qdoba less apparent was that they served much heavier meals, while SNAP or Hope’s were either smaller snacks or quick desserts.”
Alton Tiongco ’28
Haverford students don’t have much of an appetite for Qdoba either.
Fourth Former Alton Tiongco shared his thoughts on his go-to food spots near campus.
“I would go to SNAP or Hope’s Cookies. I’ve never been much of a Qdoba fan as I prefer Chipotle,” Tiongco said.
Tiongco also reflected on Qdoba’s decline in popularity.
“Qdoba was popular when I was at Shipley, especially with seniors,” Tiongco said. “I think that what made Qdoba less apparent was that they served much heavier meals, while SNAP or Hope’s were either smaller snacks or quick desserts.”
Qdoba’s closure reflects a larger trend in students today: they value speed, affordability, and social spaces over traditional sit-down meals. With busy schedules and limited free time, they often look for places where they can grab something quickly between classes or after school without paying too much. Restaurants that offer a relaxed environment for groups to hang out, while still keeping service fast and prices reasonable, tend to attract more student traffic than full-service or heavier dining options.
Students’ eating habits have also shifted from full, heavy meals to faster, more customizable meals and lighter bites. Places like CAVA, Sweetgreen, and SNAP are diet-friendly, letting students build their own meals.
Social media trends drive where students go—popular, “Instagrammable” spots in Suburban Square attract more attention. In this changing food culture, Qdoba’s heavier menu, limited options, and slower pace simply couldn’t match what students were looking for. Even when students did crave Qdoba’s cuisine, such as a burrito bowl, they would go to Chipotle instead.
Beyond changing tastes, Qdoba likely faced rising rents and labor costs along Lancaster Avenue. To make matters worse, its brick building is anything but unique, and its signage doesn’t do much to stand out in such a crowded market. Post-COVID habits also shifted dining patterns, with more students skipping sit-down meals and opting instead for takeout or delivery.
In the end, Qdoba’s closing wasn’t just about competition—it reflected how student dining culture has moved toward quick, trendy, and convenient options.
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