QDOBA Mexican Eats — Restaurant in Maryland

Used to be a very good place - 4 stars or more. Hadn't been there in 7 - 9 months. Going back, I found almost all tables dirty ( 2 were "clean enough' for me to wipe down with a napkin and sit there. The service was about as lackluster as I have ever seen - the cashier closed my check before I could say anything about drinks with our food. When I said about wanting drinks, he grabbed two cups and TOSSED them onto the counter in front of me. Fortunately, since he already closed the ticket, I got the drinks for free. When ordering my food, both guys were in such a hurry, they were passing the bowl down the counter before I could order all the items I wanted. After the first one gave me a meat and the rice, he completely ignored that I had requested double meats, but started dumping the queso cheese on it BEFORE asking me if I wanted the cheese (fortunately, I did want it), then got a little strange when I asked to the second meat of the requested double meats. I have historically gone here on weekdays. This time was a Sunday, June 4th. Maybe the weekend crews don't have the same training or interpersonal relationships skills as the weekday employees. Maybe, I'll just return to weekdays only, but with my work schedule now 12 days on the weekdays, it won't be until I retire at the end...

I used to go at least twice a week before the place was renovated. The management changed and the young man put in charge was absolutely hostile so I stopped going. I will try again soon, first to see when he is not there then to get my favorite dish which is loaded tortilla soup which is now back for a short time. I had counted on this place to supply me with good and healthy food regularly and then the prices go way up and the management gets vicious. Couldn't take it anymore.

UPDATE I could no longer resist the Loaded Soup and snuck in on two evenings. Amazing everyone was welcoming and accommodated my requests which are not outside of what is advertised. Much improved. But will not go in the daytime. I can very well tolerate the treatment I get in the evening. So I will go more often.

Later update: The place is completely turned around. I can go any time it's open and I receive excellent service. Of course prices have been steadily going up, but the value is still there and I can justify eating there 2-3 times a week. It's such a time saver for me. The only problem now is corporate has decided tortilla soup will be sold for only half the year, in the wintertime. But I am happy with the turnaround and feel I will be able to get what I like best from there...

I was in for lunch @ 11:07AM. Thats 7 minutes after opening. Remember that. Employees were friendly. They were a bit haphazard at putting the ingredients on my tacos. A lot of cross contamination of ingredients.

The biggest point to I have to make and had I realized I wouldn't have eaten here:

The place is filthy dirty. After I got my food and sat down in the dinning area I realized this fact. Food and smudges over all the tables, dirt all over the floor. Windows and doors had finger prints all over them. This was 7 minutes after opening! Which tells you they didn't even clean the dining area before opening. Which also leads you to question what the cleanliness of the kitchen is. Gross.

Also, the cashier was weird. She would sit in a booth and watching videos on her cell phone until you were about 3/4 through the line. Then run up to ring you up. After she handed you your reciept, she would go back to the booth and start watching videos again. I find that to rather rude and unprofessional. I would avoid this place for its hygiene concerns. But don't avoid Qdoba itself. If you find a properly managed restaurant, it is actually very good. Better than...