Chipotle: Burritos for teachers, margaritas for all

May 2, 201310:24 a.m.

Chipotle’s new Patron margarita

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, Chipotle has added margaritas to its menu. Real margaritas. I approve.

The restaurant seems like an odd place to get a Patron margarita, but it’s nice to have options.

Chipotle started serving the margaritas on Monday, and they were kind enough to share the recipe, which you’ll find below.

Also, Chipotle is offering a buy-one-get-one deal for teachers. It’s good from 4 to close on Tuesday, May 7. Teachers with a faculty ID who buy one burrito, burrito bowl or order of tacos can get another free.

Wichita’s Chipotle restaurants are at 7130 W. Maple, 515 N. Hillside, 535 S. Rock Road, 3015 N. Rock Road and 2241 N. Maize Road.

By Denise Neil | Tags: Filed under Menu changes, Mexican food, Restaurant deals | Comments

Specials for costume wearers, voters

Oct. 24, 20122:32 p.m.

No sooner will Americans have recovered from the excitement of Halloween than they’ll head to the polls to elect a president.

They’re going to need fortification.

Luckily, several restaurants are offering food promotions in observation of the two big days.

On Halloween, Chipotle is putting on its Boorito promotion, which offers a $2 burrito, burrito bowl or order of tacos to anyone who comes in wearing a costume between 4 p.m. and close. Wichita has five Chipotles.

At Krispy Kreme, 7777 E. Central, customers who show up in costume on Halloween will get a free Halloween or pumpkin spice doughnut.

A few days later, Taco Bueno is putting on an event called “Guac the Vote.” Anyone who votes on Nov. 6 will be entitled to a free 2.5-oz. serving of guacamole and tortilla chips all day. No proof of voting is required. Taco Bueno is going to take your word for it. The event is designed to encourage voter turn-out, the company said. Wichita’s Taco Bueno restaurants are at 3530 N. Rock Road and 427 N. Hillside.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , , Filed under Fast food, Free food | Comments

Two new restaurants for the west side

Oct. 23, 201211:09 a.m.

The west side has one new restaurant as of today and will get another one on Nov. 5.

Wichita’s newest Chipotle is officially opening today at Maple and Ridge. The restaurant took over the spot at 7130 W. Maple that once held Scrapbook Garden.

It’s Wichita’s fifth Chipotle, and it joins the restaurants at Kellogg and Rock, at 29th and Rock, at 21st and Maize and at Central and Hillside. Its hour are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and its phone number is 316-942-0263.

Another anticipated chain will open nearby on Nov. 5. Wichita’s first Mooyah, which will be operated by former KSN anchor Anthony Powell and his wife, is almost finished in the former Blockbuster spot at 352 S. West St.

There’s a Mooyah in Garden City that opened in May, and more are planned for the Wichita area. It specializes in burgers, fries and also has a long list of shakes, including chocolate chip cookie dough and peanut butter.

I called Powell this morning and interviewed him while he huffed and puffed on a stair master. He’s a health nut and said that Wichitans will be pleasantly surprised by the restaurant’s turkey burger and veggie burger, which he said both are unusually delicious.

The restaurant also will have several flat screen television sets mounted, so customers have the option of eating quickly and leaving or staying for a while to linger over a shake, he said.

Mooyah’s hours will also be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , Filed under About-to-open, Burgers, Fast food, Mexican food | Comments

New Chipotle at Maple and Ridge has opening date

Sept. 21, 20123:31 p.m.

Wichita’s newest Chipotle at Maple and Ridge is almost finished, causing many burrito fans to ask me when it’s opening.

The answer: Oct. 23.

The restaurant is going into the spot at 7130 W. Maple that once held Scrapbook Garden. It will be Wichita’s fifth Chipotle, joining the restaurants at  Kellogg and Rock, at 29th and Rock, at 21st and Maize and at Central and Hillside.

By Denise Neil | Tags: Filed under About-to-open, Mexican food | Comments

Question of the week: Build your own?

June 13, 20122:52 p.m.

A Chipotle order is a very personal thing.

Sometimes, I like to build my own meal. Chipotle is a good example. I know exactly what I want in my burrito or burrito bowl, and I know exactly how much of it I want.

Other times, build-your-own is too hard. For example, I want the fine folks at Picasso’s Pizzeria to tell me what to put on my slice. The list of ingredients all sound so good, but I’m not sure what would be best together.

Lots of restaurants in town offer customers the opportunity to build their own sandwiches, burgers, Mongolian grill creations and ice cream mixtures.

My question: Do you like this option? Do you use it? And in which restaurants have you best been able to master it?

Answer in the comments section below.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , Filed under Question of the week | Comments

Wichita will get a fifth Chipotle this year

April 11, 201210:22 a.m.

Big news for fans of big burritos: Chipotle, the build-your-own burrito restaurant that already has four Wichita stores, will open a fifth by the end of this year.

This one will be at  7130 W. Maple, the spot that previously held Scrapbook Garden. It’s in a strip center at the corner of Maple and Ridge that also has McAlister’s Deli.

Wichita already has four Chipotles: At Kellogg and Rock, at 29th and Rock, at 21st and Maize and at Central and Hillside.

The most relevent thing about this news: This will now be the Chipotle closest to my house. I’ll update you as more information develops.

Hey, that's a decent lunch bag!

In other Chiptole news, the restaurant chain is putting on an Earth-Day friendly promotion.

Through Saturday, customers can purchase reusable lunch bags from the restaurant’s online store, store.chipotle.com.

The bags are made from repurposed Chioptle billboards and ads and contain an ec0-friendly card redeemable for one free meal — a burrito, bowl, salad or order of tacos — on Earth Day, which is April 22.

The bags are $18 each, and proceeds will benefit the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation.

By Denise Neil | Tags: Filed under About-to-open, Mexican food | Comments

Have a Halloween Boo-rito

Oct. 31, 201110:57 a.m.

You’ll need a base for all that Halloween candy, and Chipotle is offering a cheap way to get one — provided your costume is farm-friendly.

Customers who visit after 6 p.m. tonight dressed in a family-farm inspired costume can get a burrito, bowl, salad or order of tacos for $2. Proceeds up to $1 million nationwide will go to Farm Aid and the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation.

Diners also are invited to submit photos of themselves in costume at Chipotle for a chance to win $2,500. Cows and chickens and goats can upload their pictures at www.chipotle.com/boorito or text “COSTUME” to 888222.

By Denise Neil | Tags: Filed under Fundraisers | Comments

Eat an egg roll, help a cause

Oct. 24, 201111:06 a.m.

Hungry for some Chinese food? If you print and download this flyer and take it to the Panda Express at 2760 N. Maize Road between 11 a.m and 8 p.m. on Nov. 7, the restaurant will donate 20 percent of your purchase to Starkey, an organization that helps mentally disabled people achieve independence.

I’ve noticed several restaurants, including Chipotle, Il Vicino, Panda Express, Baskin Robbins and more, are participating frequently in fundraisers such as this one. Has your organization or school ever participated in one? Did it raise a lot of money? Talk to me.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , , , Filed under Chinese food, Fundraisers | Comments

Eat burritos for the zoo

Oct. 4, 20111:47 p.m.

The Chipotle and Sedgwick County Zoo folks requested that I let you know about a little fundraiser going on until 10 p.m. today.

Patrons who want to participate should go to a Wichita Chipotle and mention the zoo fundraiser while buying a burrito, burrito bowl, salad or order of tacos. Chipotle will donate 50 percent of those sales (up to $5,000) to the zoo. (Print and take this flyer to make the procedure easier.)

Participating Chipotles include the ones at 515 N. Hillside, 535 S. Rock Road, 3015 N. Rock Road and 2241 N. Maize Road.

By Denise Neil | Tags: Filed under Fundraisers, Mexican food | Comments

Chipotle passing out shopping money at farmers’ market

Aug. 16, 20112:39 p.m.

Chipotle, a restaurant chain that prides itself on using local produce in its restaurants, is celebrating National Farmers Market Week this Saturday by giving $5 to be used on produce to the first 250 people who show up at the Old Town Farmers’ Market at 8 a.m.

The first 250 customers also will get buy-one-get-one coupons to use later on Chipotle burritos, bowls, tacos and salads.

By Denise Neil | Tags: Filed under Mexican food, Restaurant specials | Comments