Chipotle announced that it will offer queso dip in locations nationwide beginning next Tuesday.
The menu addition is expected to help reinvigorate sales that have been hurt by food scares.
It’ll cost $1.25 with a meal or $5.25 for a large side order. Customers already have to pay an up-charge of about $1.80 for guacamole. Prices in certain places such as New York City may be higher.
The Denver-based chain is rebounding after a norovirus outbreak in Sterling, Virginia, in July and an E. coli outbreak in 2015.
Chipotle announced that it will serve queso in restaurants nationwide beginning on Tuesday
The dip will reportedly cost $1.25 with a meal or $5.25 for a side order
The company initially didn’t have queso because it prides itself on not using additives
The recipe was tested at 350 locations across the U.S.
Sales have shown some improvement this year, but Chipotle hopes that queso will bring in even more customers.
When Chipotle released the new menu item in New York City in July, people flocked to try it.
A review by TheDailyMeal.com said that while the cheddar flavor and slight bite were pleasing, the texture was slightly gritty.
‘Most of us are used to “cheese sauce” having that processed cheese consistency, so we imagine not everyone will be pleased,’ the article says.
‘The texture was especially lacking once the queso began to cool; it started to resemble greasy library paste.’
People flocked to the restaurant when the queso was first introduced. Initial taste-testers said the flavor was great but texture was gritty
The number two reason that people weren’t coming back to Chipotle was a lack of queso
Chipotle marketing director Mark Crumpacker said earlier this year the top reason why ‘lapsed customers’ weren’t visiting as frequently as in the past was ‘boredom’ with the menu.
The no. 2 reason was a lack of queso.
Chipotle’s chairman and CEO Steve Ells said queso was the most-requested new menu item, but the company didn’t want to use additives.
A recipe with cheddar cheese, peppers, tomatoes and tomatillos was tested in 350 restaurants.
The number one reason previous customers weren’t going to was boredom with the menu
One Instagram user said that the queso tasted like it came out of a jar
The company said that each batch will vary a little bit but is based on the same recipe