Chipotle shut down a restaurant after customers said they became violently ill — here's where you should eat instead

With news that Chipotle's food-poisoning scandals may not be over yet, many customers are looking for alternatives.

On Tuesday, news broke that Chipotle had closed a restaurant in Sterling, Virginia, after multiple reports of customers getting sick after eating there.

Eight people had reported illnesses — including "vomiting violently," fevers, and "violent stomach cramps"— to the website iwaspoisoned.com.

Chipotle told Business Insider that was is aware of the illnesses and had notified local health officials. However, as the company is also recovering from the 2015 outbreak of E. coli in its restaurants, many customers may prefer to find alternatives than to give Chipotle another chance.

One option is Qdoba, a 700-location chain that goes head-to-head with Chipotle when it comes to burritos and other fast-casual Tex-Mex fare. Here's how the two compare — and why Qdoba could be the perfect Chipotle replacement.

SEE ALSO: Chipotle has taken a major step toward becoming more like Starbucks

Meet the contenders, Qdoba and Chipotle, with equal orders of chicken burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, and guacamole to try. Chipotle is pushing a litany of literary sources on its bags, while Qdoba's display peculiar artwork.

First up is burritos, with Qdoba on the left and Chipotle on the right. We all know and love the humble, delicious burrito, and unlike in Business Insider's earlier Chipotle showdown, the sizes here are similar — no early edge.

Qdoba's offering is tightly packed, holding together despite being halved. There's a large amount of rice, and it could use more chicken. Upon tasting, Qdoba's advantage is clear: queso. Qdoba offers numerous types of queso, ranging from mild to very spicy, which adds a dense richness to the burrito. It's incredibly filling and still tastes fresh. And at $7.80 with free guac — a complete game-changer — it's a great value.