The fast food establishment Chipotle has a rewards program specifically for college students. In this program, aptly named “Chipotle U Rewards,” Chipotle can track which universities in the nation are leading with the most orders of specific items, such as guacamole or burritos.
It’s like Chipotle’s very own “Best of Kent.”
In the Top 5 of the nation is West Lafayette, Ind., home of Purdue University, that was ranked as the university with the most Chipotle orders.
Columbus, Ohio, leads with the most group orders and also with its orders of guacamole. We can safely assume that The Ohio State University is the university to blame for such an influx.
Next, Baton Rouge, La., home of Southeastern Conference mogul Louisiana State, orders the most queso in the U.S.
Boston, Mass., one of the largest college towns in the country, orders the most deliveries for the people who stay up all night studying.
Another SEC superstar leads in the most burritos: Norman, Okla. with the University of Oklahoma.
Finally, the least expected to top charts in the nation is none other than the illustrious Kent, Ohio, home of the black squirrel, and more notably, Kent State University. Kent orders the most tacos out of any other college town in the country.
While an impressive statistic, how true is this?
As a journalist, I immediately headed to the Chipotle on East Main Street, right across the street from Franklin and Rockwell Hall. Its closeness to some of the most demanding majors’ halls might be a deciding factor, considering many fashion students spend more time sewing buttons onto corsets than sleeping.
Upon my arrival, I noticed that the 605 E. Main St. Chipotle was extremely clean, a huge feat considering it is mostly run by college and high school students in the area.
While my visit was not during a peak of business hours, I can confirm, as an avid Chipotle customer and a member of the rewards program, that it is more than likely to be filled to the brim with customers at times. Though it can be busy, this Chipotle does orders quickly and with great quality.
I ordered a burrito with the honey chicken and rice, a seasonal classic, then the toppings of corn, cheese, fajitas, tomato salsa, sour cream and a side of red chili salsa. I also had to get the organic berry agua fresca.
It was love at first bite.
The rice was hot, fresh, and tangy, packed with the notes of the cilantro and lime. The chicken was slightly tangy and sweet, perfect for a spice lover or someone who wants to try something new, yet familiar. Chipotle always packs the burritos, so I had leftovers for dinner and the following day for lunch.
Kent ranked for the most taco orders in the country. As a Chipotle U Rewards member, I have ordered their tacos several times. None of the times I ordered stood out as unpleasant.
Luckily enough, my visits to the Kent Chipotle are always full of personality and flavor.
So, do the students of KSU overrate the tacos of Chipotle?
As an opinion writer, I can say as a personal fact (wink), that the Kent Chipotle does an amazing job handling orders, cooking their rice to perfection, and packing their proteins and toppings with a beautiful aromatic punch.
KSU students are absolutely right. Kent, Ohio is the place to get some of the best Chipotle tacos.
Karmyn Allen is a columnist. Contact her at [email protected].