I thought today would be like any ordinary day. I had school and work, and really didn’t want to do homework – the usual. But today, March 14th, was no ordinary day.
Today was the day that the Qdoba on Forbes announced that it would be closing its doors for good. A ducking emergency indeed. Needless to say, I am DEVASTATED.
When I first walked down Forbes Avenue as a clueless freshman, I originally I thought “wow, why would I go to a shittier Chipotle?” But, as it turns out, Qdoba is much more than that. Our beloved Qdoba offered a myriad of meal choices, a plethora of toppings (even more than Chipotle), and never charged me for guac or queso. Qdoba was thus cheaper and, to make it even better, offered awesome student deals, such as a free drink with a Pitt id. Qdoba even had great, comical décor (like the jokes about the hole) – nothing like the try hard chrome of Chipotle. Qdoba is a lifestyle. It was one of the first places my boyfriend and I went out to eat, and has provided us with many stories and fun moments. In addition, it has meant something special to our friends – one even decided to get a job there. Frankly, Qdoba has impacted all of us here at Pitt in some degree, even if it was just sharing stories about Pitt Spiderman.
Qdoba has been a stoic and supportive presence in South Oakland since my freshman year at the University of Pittsburgh. Who was there for me when I had an extreme craving for queso? Qdoba.
Who was there for me when I was craving “Mexican” food, without waiting in a long time or paying heaps of money? Qdoba.
And now it’s gone.
For those of you who prefer Chipotle to Qdoba – I hope you have fun with Chipotle’s overpriced garbage queso.
Forbes Qdoba, may you rest in pasta sauce. Gone but never forgotten.
Photo credit: author’s own, 2, 3, 4, 5