5 Chain Restaurant Quesadillas, Ranked Worst To Best

A quesadilla may just be foodie perfection. Gooey, melted, customizable, and craveable, the tortilla-and-melted-cheese combo always makes for a quick, delicious meal. When making them at home, there are a few hacks for perfecting your cheesy masterpiece, such as using a sheet pan when you're loading them with toppings, or opting for canned chicken as an on-the-go filling when you're in a time crunch.

If you're not at home, it's also a perfect meal to order out. Generally affordable and with a speedy cooking time, several chain restaurants are known for reliable locations and great menu options. So which of them should you head to next time you're craving that crispy tortilla and warm, melting cheese?

I've tasted quesadillas from five common chains to find out which is the best. In most cases, it really boils down to the quality of the meat and veggies that are stuffed inside or the flavor of accompanying salsa — after all, just cheese and tortilla on their own are pretty hard to mess up. No matter where you are in the U.S., you're likely to be near at least a few of these locations — so next time, stop in for a Chowhound-approved cheesy snack.

While Taco Bell may have taken last place, let me preface this by saying: I don't hate this quesadilla and wouldn't be opposed to ordering it again. It is one of Taco Bell's best-selling menu items for a reason.

The main reason I ranked it last is just the lack of customizability. While all the others on this list offer sides of guacamole, salsa, vegetables, or corn you can add in, Taco Bell's quesadilla is definitely the most basic. Let's be real — this isn't much of a surprise. It is fast food, after all, and this quesadilla only costs about $6.

Beyond the lack of vegetables, the meat does have that signature rubbery bite that comes with the fast, super-preserved territory. But the sauce that accompanies the cheese and chicken is delicious. It's a slightly spicy, creamy jalapeño sauce that adds quite a bit of flavor and a good texture to the quesadilla. One of these is a solid snack, but for the same price as many of the other quesadillas on this list, you could get two and make it a full meal. Just don't expect it to be a well-rounded meal, as you'll be lacking any sort of fiber.

Chili's has two quesadilla options: a chicken bacon ranch and a brisket with barbecue sauce and jalapeños. I opted for the brisket with barbecue sauce largely because I love brisket and enjoy some spice in my food, which makes the addition of jalapeños very appealing.

Overall, it really wasn't a bad quesadilla. The meat had a nice flavor and good texture, and the barbecue sauce added a delightful caramelized sweetness to the crispy cheese edges. The jalapeños were abundant, and the cheese was in good proportion. There wasn't very much meat, though, especially compared to the quantity of jalapeños. I enjoyed the heat, but would've liked more protein.

Additionally, the ranch on the side was super watery, and the pico de gallo was a bit bland and gritty, as though the tomatoes had been partially frozen and thawed. Let me say this: it wasn't a bad meal, I just think that customizability in a quesadilla is important. Everyone has different tastes, and the places where you can say exactly what you want and have some nice variety (and a good portion of protein) are just that much better in comparison. But if what you want is chicken bacon ranch, or brisket and jalapeños on your quesadilla, then you'll be a happy camper.

The nice thing about Qdoba's quesadilla, compared to Chili's or Taco Bell, is that you can walk up to the service counter and pick your own fillings. I opted for pork carnitas (one of my favorite quesadilla fillings, and the meat I ordered for each of those where I was able to choose it), corn, fajita veggies, hot sauce, and a little extra cheese on top. Sour cream and guacamole are served on the side at no extra cost.

For about $12, it's not a bad deal by any means. The filling is bulging out, and I find myself feeling full after just two slices, saving the rest for a later meal. It's a great portion and a generally more appealing option for most people who want to customize their quesadilla to their preferences. 

The only drawback is the flavor — it's lacking. Compared to the top two on this list, the carnitas, which requires a certain set of seasonings, was definitely underattended. The fajita veggies are a bit watery. Even the hot sauce is blander than I'd like. All of these components combined make it a little disappointing, but I still enjoyed it more than Chili's and Taco Bell, and found that it was a way better deal for the price and portion. Plus, at least the side of guac comes for free.

Cinco de Mayo is a New York-based chain known for its flavorful meats and, funny enough, delicious carrot cake. I ordered a quesadilla with carnitas, which came with accompanying sides of guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, and a tiny, adorable little carrot cake muffin (sans cream cheese frosting, unfortunately).

The carnitas were delicious. Some pieces were fatty and melted in your mouth, others were delightfully crispy. It has nice seasoning and a generous portion of cheese. The tortilla is perfectly crispy with a nice shine of oil. The sides are also fantastic — the salsa verde is fresh and bright, the pico is delightfully acidic, the sour cream is above average, seemingly more fatty and creamy than a typical store-bought kind. The carrot-cake muffin is a delicious dessert.

All in all, I'm very pleased with this meal and would definitely return. It's exactly what I expect and hope for in a quesadilla. The tiebreaker between this and first place came down to subtle flavor points, which I'll cover in the next slide.

Chipotle takes the cake. Does it pain me a bit to rate such a giant chain higher than Cinco de Mayo, a much smaller, more local chain? Yes, yes it does. But the flavors don't lie. The only thing that I really didn't like about my quesadilla experience at Chipotle is the oddity of showing up to the location and asking for a quesadilla just to be told I have to order it online. Thankfully, this doesn't require any app-downloading, but it is a bit dehumanizing to the process of visiting a restaurant.

I ordered carnitas, for consistency's sake (and because I love carnitas), accompanied by hot sauce, corn, and pico de gallo. The first main standout was the generous portion of meat in the quesadilla and its outstanding flavor. This came as a bit of a surprise, considering that carnitas is Chipotle's worst-rated menu item, according to reviews, so I must have caught the right location on the right day. The second standout was the sides. Generous portions of corn salsa and pico, both with exceptional flavor. The corn salsa is vibrant with cilantro and lime, and there's plenty of it to shovel into each bite as I eat. The red hot sauce is nice and spicy. The pico is fresh, acidic, and naturally sweet. It's a delicious meal at a great price, and, other than knowing I'll have to order ahead next time, I have no complaints.

The bare minimum of a quesadilla is the cheese and tortilla; the cheese should be melted, and the tortilla should be warm with a slight crisp. All of these quesadillas hit the mark on that end, so it really came down to the accompaniments. Is the salsa spicy or flavorful? Is the pico fresh? Is the meat nicely cooked and seasoned? These were the tie-breaking questions.

Ultimately, customizability also played a role. I feel as though, when ranking any sort of food, I have to see it from the perspective of the general public as much as possible, and the more room there is for making a dish your own, the more likely anyone is to enjoy it.