QDOBA Mexican Eats — Restaurant in Upper Providence Township

Today, Feb. 27, 2022‐ my daughter, who's had nothing but positive experiences at this location, went around 3:30, asked for a manager, RHEESE, who was not only less than accommodating but REFUSED to get my daughter fresh, cut lettuce that hadn't been on the line with cross contamination of cheese that's right next to it! She has a severe dairy allergy & can have a life threatening anaphylaxis reaction if she accidentally eats dairy products such as cheese, sour cream, etc. (We explain each time we order & try to go at non-busy times to prevent issues with special orders!)

This manager actually said, when my daughter explained this need for fresh lettuce & kindlyasked if they could chop it for her, "that's a later thing, not a now thing!"

It's a good thing I hadn't been there, as the entire restaurant & neighborhooding stores would have heard my roar of disbelief!

My daughter simply walked out, as the kind employee, Gabby whispered she would have done it, but couldn't since the manager wouldn't allow. This is absolutely horrible & goes against their description on Google "freshly prepared ingredients throughout the day".

Too bad Drew wasn't there as he's so accommodating & understands the importance with people who have food allergies!

Absolutely unbelievable!

‐------------------------- Below is my original review 2 years ago- Too bad it wasn't as great today! We went here after 8:00pm, worried food wouldn't be the freshest, but I had a soft taco with pork and it was one of the best I've had there! We had the sweetest employee, Daisy help us. She was cheerful, upbeat, and extremely careful of making sure our food was made how we wanted it. Drew, checked us out & again, so kind & considerate to making sure we had everything correct for our order. Even better, Daisy helped my teenage daughter earlier in the day, who suffers from a dairy allergy and has to ask for gloves to be changed & ask employees to get her food that hasn't been cross-contaminated on the line, and Daisy helped her with no problems and complimented me to how great my daughter did with ordering her food without me around & being so polite! These employees went above and beyond today. Great job...

Providing honest reviews is important — they help businesses improve and allow customers to make informed decisions. I’ve visited this Collegeville location on and off over the years. While I’ve never been a fan of chain restaurants, this place used to be acceptable. Unfortunately, my most recent visit was disappointing and concerning enough that I felt compelled to share.

Cleanliness was a major issue. Tables had leftover food, floors were dirty, and the kitchen and hallway areas were visibly unsanitary. The bathroom was flat-out disgusting and clearly hadn’t been cleaned in some time.

On top of that, the staff appeared overwhelmed and understaffed. Worse, I saw multiple food-handling employees not wearing gloves — a basic health and safety standard that should never be ignored.

Communication was another problem. The staff working the counter had clear difficulty understanding basic English, which made ordering frustrating. I asked for “less cheese” on my quesadilla and had to repeat myself multiple times with no success. It’s not about judging individuals, but if you’re working the front of a restaurant, you need to be able to communicate clearly with customers.

I ultimately walked out without ordering. I shared my concerns with the manager and explained that while I fully respect anyone working hard, a restaurant can’t function if there’s poor hygiene, understaffing, and communication breakdowns.

There are far better options in the area. I would strongly recommend avoiding this location until they get serious about cleanliness, training, and...

Another chain that has yet to enter the Hawaii market was on my list to try someday. We were visiting family in PA and I spotted one so in I went! An order for me and my spouse please...

ATMOSPHERE: It's set up like a Subway, with a cold line counter that you pick and choose ingredients to customize anything on their menu, except this is all American-Mexican fare. The place was very clean with a few tables and big windows great for people & traffic-watching.

MENU: Tacos, burritos, nachos, taco salads, quesadillas.

FOOD: Taco Salad I opted for ground beef which looks similar to Taco Bell's version (clumpy canned dog food lol,) with roasted chile corn, pinto beans, sour cream, and guacamole. It definitely tasted way fresher than TB, and the guacamole was handmade (I saw the guy mashing it) and super fresh. Yes!

Burrito I got ingredients that I'd eat in case my spouse didn't eat it. Flour tortilla, ground beef, pinto beans, sour cream and that fresh guac. Yummo. It's huge, like the kind you get in a Mexican restaurant and tasted very fresh as well. No sauce needed.

SERVICE: Both guys behind the counter were welcoming, friendly, and patient with this guy who has never been in a Qdoba. Thank you!

FUN FACT: Qdoba used to be owned by Jack In The Box up until 2018.

OVERALL: Absolutely fresh ingredients. I'd patronize this place a lot if it were...