Chipotle Mexican Grill

As a longtime fan of Chipotle, I was thrilled when I saw one had opened in Cedar Hill. It meant that I no longer had to rely on the West End location for my weekly Chipotle fix, or so I thought. I finally got a chance to try this location today, and unfortunately, it was nothing like its downtown counterpart. The aesthetics are very different from the West End store, which is forgivable, but the quality of the service and the food are not. Then again, perhaps the food is the same, but the crappy service completely ruined it. From the moment I walked up to the counter, I was ignored. There were four people there, and all failed to acknowledge me. They looked at me, one took a long, hard look for some reason, but no one spoke to me. The employee on the end knew I was standing there, as I was closest to her, but she never looked up from the burrito she was prepping. Others came up and switched out containers, and she still said nothing. Neither did the people who had come up. Finally, as I just about to walk out, another employee asked for my order. I could tell that he didn’t want to be bothered, but, hey, he was at work, and had to do something, apparently. I guess his behavior/​demeanor could be best described as a cross between lethargy and disinterest. Anyway, he began filling my order, but when I saw that one of the burritos was about to burst, I pointed it out and asked for another tortilla. I had to repeat my request no less than six times, at which point, I mirrored his bad attitude for a split second and repeated the request in an annoyed tone, because at this point, I was very annoyed with him and the rest of the crew. I mean, I’m far from soft-​spoken, and despite the noise, he’d heard everything I’d said until then, so what was the problem, exactly? When he finally understood, he angrily asked if I wanted the burrito «double-​wrapped». When I said I did, he and a couple of the other employees standing there acted as though that was the strangest thing anyone had ever asked for. Imagine that… someone asking for a second tortilla to help their burrito stay intact. I understand that Chipotle tends be a very noisy, very busy place (it was pretty slow during my visit, though), but copping an attitude and acting as though filling an additional request is beneath you is beyond unacceptable. The kid only had to take a second and POLITELY ask me what I’d said, and I wouldn’t have minded repeating myself if he couldn’t hear me. He, like the rest of the crew, did not want to take the time to give me excellent customer service, and as though there was something wrong with expecting it is just ridiculous.
To say that I didn’t appreciate the lack of professionalism and courtesy would be an understatement, but what added insult to injury is when I asked the very friendly cashier (she was the only friendly employee I encountered) for the manager’s name, she pointed to a woman who had been staring at me without saying anything earlier. I just paid and walked out. I wouldn’t recommend this location to anyone.

I’m not much of a fan of most «fast food» establishments, but I don’t mind popping into this Chipotle location when I need a quick bite. Sure, its not a formal restaurant really, but you can still have a sit down meal or snag something to go quicker than you can say ‘more salsa, please!’
After running some errands, I was starving and this place is on my way home. I wasn’t sure if I wanted a burrito, a bowl, or some tacos, but, either way, a spicy dish sounded good. It wasn’t very busy when I walked in, so I took my time to peruse with looked yummy. Finally, I opted for a Burrito Bowl since I wasn’t in the mood for a full burrito. I like that you can see all the ingredients up close & personal and you can watch workers in the back preparing the next batch of whatever needs to be filled.
Now to build my creation! I opted for less rice than they normally put in the bowl, and the woman behind the counter happily obliged. I know they want to give you more for your money, but more than a spoonful is way too much for my liking. I went with black beans because, well, lets face it, I’m addicted to the things and the way they perpare them here makes them tender and tasty *drools* Toss on a little chicken and I was ready for some extra toppings. They have several salsas here: mild, hot, and corn. The ‘hot’ salsa is pretty spicy (yay!), so little goes a long way. I’m not big on mild, so I skipped that, but I asked them to toss on a little of the corn salsa for good measure. You also have the option of adding lettuce, cheese, guacamole & sour cream (though the last two are extra, I believe), but I wasn’t in the mood for such today. They do make the guacamole fresh, though, so don’t be afraid to pile that onto whatever you’re having. Once my bowl was set, the cashier bagged it up & sent me on my way. Again, the speed at which these people move is unreal. I was probably in line less than 3 minutes and that inclues several people in front of me.
I haven’t had a bad meal here yet, and today’s quick lunch was no exception. The black beans had a good flavor, and the chicken was well marinaded. I’m always a fan of the salsas, though I prefer the hot stuff, hands down. The portions are huge though, so my lunch stop will likely turn into leftovers for dinner.
The employees here are always smiling, warm & friendly, and lightening fast with your order. Another admirable thing I’ve noticed here is that the manager is often up front working with his employees and greeting customers. That right there tells me hes interested not only in getting to know his clientele, but his employees’ work ethic, too. This location also has an outdoor patio so you can watch the hustle & bustle of North Dallas /​Addison while you enjoy your meal. It definitely makes my list of places to stop by when I’m out & about in my neighborhood.