Noodles & Company: High price for a sub-standard product
The opinions represented in this article do not necessarily represent those of the staff of CUIndependent.com nor any of its sponsors.
My friends, I have been to the other side. I have seen it, I have tasted it and I have been appalled by it. And now I am here to shout it: Noodles and Company, here is, to quote a robot, my shiny metal ass. Please bite it.
It started innocently enough. My football supervisor called me up to inform me that Noodles & Company was sponsoring his team at a national competition. Because of this, the entire contingent of football referees gets a free dish at their restaurant.
“Cool,” I said to myself. “Now I can try someplace new and exciting, and maybe lessen my dependence on Chipotle and the CU Grab-and-Go’s. And what’s more, I can just walk over to the place from my apartment; it’s a five minute walk at most. This is going to be sweet.”
I arrive, and my fellow referees and my supervisor are all present.
My supervisor tells me, “Go ahead and order anything, just tell them you’re with intramurals.” I scoured the menu, and finally, upon discovering a dish that wasn’t covered in mushrooms, walked up to the counter. I noticed that there were no prices listed on the menu, but it didn’t faze me for the time being.
“I’d like a pasta marinara with a parmesan chicken breast.”
“Anything to drink?” I once again searched the menu, and found a mention of a “fountain drink,” with, again, no sizes and no price.
“Sure, a drink.”
He inputted everything on the register and then went to grab a special card that enabled me to get my meal for free. As he grabbed the card, I couldn’t help but notice the total staring back at me from the register.
$9.
I was taken aback. Speechless. There had to be an error there; the first digit in the display must be broken and displaying things upside down. In a panic, I looked up at the menu. Drinks, it turns out, are $1.40. Somewhere in the back of my mind it registered that I could get a larger drink at the gas station next door for less money, but I let it pass as I searched for what went wrong. There’s no way that they can charge $7.60 for a bowl of noodles and get away with it. No freakin’ way.
Once I calmed down a bit and was calmly reminded by the cashier that I had not yet answered if I wanted to dine in or take out, I stepped aside and let my coworkers order. Soon, however, I began to feel giddy. I was about to have a nearly $8 bowl of pasta, which, I concluded, means it has to be nearly the best pasta in the world. There’s no way they can charge that much and not have it be the best pasta in the world. I started having visions of noodles lined with gold edges, caviar-encrusted chicken and a bowl so deep, it would take me three days to finish it.
My name was called (actually, it wasn’t, even though they explicitly asked for my name at the register; unless my name is now “Marinara with chicken,” they didn’t really have any use for my name) and I grabbed my dish. It wasn’t encrusted with jewels, to my dismay, but I still had hope. This was going to be the greatest thing ever.
You know where this is going.
Generic sauce, soggy noodles, processed pre-packaged chicken and low-quality “cheese” to top it off, all in a portion that could only be called generous if I was feeling incredibly generous. I got halfway through my dish and realized that I was bored. There was no flavor to any of the pieces. The sauce was so bland that one literally bores of eating it halfway through. Good thing there isn’t a lot of it then, I suppose, because otherwise I would have been even more bored.
And then I finished it, and was still hungry. As I finished drinking my small drink, I started thinking.
What in the world makes people come to this place?
I could’ve gone to Chipotle and paid $2.50+ less for a meal and a drink (the drink being free, of course). The meal would be more filling, since it’s tough to make it through a whole burrito in a single sitting. The meal would be more interesting, because they actually use spices; each bite is decidedly different from the last. And best of all, I wouldn’t have felt awful giving them my money; they give me a quality product, and I don’t mind paying for it.
Noodles & Company, however, has betrayed that relationship by overcharging for a sub-standard product. I could have gone to Safeway to buy some noodles, some marinara and a chicken breast, cooked it all myself, added some spices and still spent less than $9. Plus, it would’ve tasted better.
Suffice to say, I’m glad I didn’t pay for it myself. I don’t think I could live with myself, in all honesty.
So, Noodles & Company, consider this an open invitation to lower your prices and create higher-quality food.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Nathan Bellis at Nathan.bellis@colorado.edu.
Related posts:
Share this article
-
Student government distributes $17.7 million in annual student fees
Student government allocated $17.7 million in student fees for the 2013-14 fiscal year to 15 CU Boulder departments Wednesday and Thursday nights in an annual public discussion that lasted over 12 hours. The total budget is higher than fiscal... read more »
-
Upset: Men’s basketball wins Arizona rematch
The University of Colorado men’s basketball beat the Arizona Wildcats 71-58 Thursday, healing a wound the left after teams’ previous encounter. The last game on Jan. 3 was close, but ended with a ‘no’ call from the refs after a three... read more »
-
CU’s Webb and Lewis arrested on assault
-
Opinion: Was Andre’s choice to leave CU his best move?
14 Comments
Sorry you didn’t like the food. I’m an employee at Noodles and Company and I’ve heard these complaints before, so let me see if I can address any of them.
Every dish (except Buttered Noodles) is priced the same: a regular costs $5.25, and Small costs $4.25. To add a protein (like chicken), is an extra two dollars, which accounts for that price leap you saw. The problem is that our menu is divided into three categories — American, Mediterranean, and Asian — but they all cost the same, so it’s really a matter of taste. If you want the exotic flavors that eluded you in the “Pasta Marinara” (there isn’t a dish under this name, but it was probably a variation of our regular spaghetti – simple spaghetti sauce and noodles), you should try something on the Med or Asian menu, which may seem more price appropriate. If the mushrooms are deterring you from these more complex dishes, you should swap them out for a vegetable you do like, free of charge, or simply have them taken off.
Based on your choice of a marinara dish, I would recommend the Penne Rosa ($5.69, as is) and, if you wanna spring for a protein, some parm chicken (puts it at $7.85).
Lastly, a medium drink is about $1.40, which is normal for fast-casual restaurants.
I’m sorry you had a bad experience, but I recommend you try it again.
(I hate that I sound like a corporate mouthpiece, but I have always liked Noodles. I’m trying to walk that fine line between jeopardizing my job and my point, because The Customer Is Always Right. I’ll try to be more frank when I quit or get fired.)
Noah,
Charging $2 for protein is an absolute rip off considering the usual portions you get of the protein. It would be far more reasonable to factor that into the price since most people who order are going to get it with protein. For $7.25 I could go to another restaurant and get food that was less greasy and better quality.
It’s also deceptive and shady to keep the prices off of the menu. I know that’s not your decision and there’s really nothing that you can do about it as an employee but keeping the customer in the dark for the most part, until the price comes up on the register, is a bush-league restaurant’s practice.
I’ve been to Noodles once. I threw up in the bathroom after eating the macaroni and cheese. Someone else paid for me so I never noticed the price but if I had I’d be pissed too. I have no desire to go back to Noodles, I’d rather make my own pasta for cheaper.
The prices are clearly posted on the menu.
I’m not sure why people think Noodles is such a rip off. Yes it’s just pasta. Yes it’s not super cheap. But while I would never say that Noodles is a great bargain, I think their food is (for the most part) quite tasty. (Particularly their snickerdoodle cookies which, I’ll admit, are rather pricey, but very delicious.) I agree that if you’re looking for something really flavorful, marinara is probably not a great pick.
You’d be pretty hard pressed to get a meal of the same size with protein and a drink for much less. I find Chipotle to be equally expensive (though I would agree that their portions are larger). I want to know where you people are going for this cheap food.
Finally, saying you could make your own cheaper is nearly meaningless. Restaurant food almost always costs more because you didn’t have to go to the store and make it yourself. If you don’t like Noodles, that’s fine, but this is a pretty scathing review for a place that I think is pretty decent.
First of all, you ordered noodles and marinara sauce. What do you expect? For the same price you could have gotten a dish that was sauteed with sauce and vegetables. That’s like someone walking in, ordering a Mac and Cheese, and complaining about it. It’s a Mac and Cheese! Why would pay 5.25 for a Mac and Cheese when you can buy 5 boxes of the same stuff at the grocery store? The equivalent to ordering a House Marinara is going to a Chinese restaurant and ordering white rice. Or an empty eggroll.
Wow, I thought this was review was a bit too harsh. I’m a big fan of Noodles and Company *because* of their quality healthy food and low prices. I love, love, love the fact that almost everything on the menu is vegetarian, and it costs extra to add meat. It’s so nice to have options (even though I almost always get Japanese Pan Noodles). The prices are clearly printed on the first panel of the menu (in huge print), and are the same for whatever you order. Personally, I think that ordering a basic marinara anywhere but a homestyle Italian restaurant is something most people with taste buds will regret. It’s good that they carry dishes like this and buttered noodles, though, to appeal to all tastes. In my opinion the standout dishes at Noodles and Co are the Asian ones; ask for no mushrooms if you don’t like them. I love Chipotle too, but everything tastes pretty much the same there, and a meal is about 2000 calories.
1 – prices are on the menu. Would you like to complain about everything costing the same? Is it too easy for you?
2 – marinara is marinara. If you can read, the menu does not say anything about spices. If you weren’t scared to try new things, you would have gotten flavors.
Since it seems to me that the real issue here is that you are scared.
Wouldn’t walk five minutes from your house to eat? You’re lazy, or you’re fat. Oh, wait, you prefer Chipotle. You are obviously not healthy. Won’t walk 5 minutes, would rather eat a 10-pound burrito.
You were so scared that you went right for the American menu……
Anyone who eats pasta knows that other countries make better pastas.
On the menu, it seriously read, Penne Rigate with tomato marinara, topped with parmesan cheese and parsley.
3 – Chipotle does not give out free drinks. If you are special at your local Chipotle and they give you a drink on them, that is between you and Chipotle.
Their drinks are actually priced the same. Chipotle’s burritos cost between $5.25 and $6.25…
A bowl of noodles from Noodles is $5.25. If you want chips, $1.50 more. Salsa Or Guac? More.
Before the drink, (which, by the way, is not free!) You are already at an equal to that of Noodles & Company, (where you got noodles, protein And a drink).
It is common knowledge that if you are going to be lazy (eat PASTA in a RESTAURANT), you are going to pay. A lot.
Bars in the same area charge $13 for the same thing.
Cry about it if you must, but don’t take it out on harmless, innocent people who just like serving pasta.
With the other choices on the menu why on earth would you choose noodles and marinara sauce? Go back and get japanese pan noodles with beef. Then, once you taste something with more than one flavor let us know how it is.
Taco Bell is apparently “cheap” also but it isn’t GO NOODLES
#1 Open your fucking eyes. #2 Stay at home and have some Spaghettios you cheap fuck.
Very interesting dialog.
I consider myself a foodie. I love great food and I cook great food. I sometimes go to Chipolte and I do like the flavors. Living in SD I get some great mexican, but for a fairly fast burrito, Chipolte is better than the many fast food (non mainstream) mexican resturants. But it is also much more expensive and I agree, drinks are not free.
About Noodles & Company, I love it. Yes, it is not gourmet, but it is closer than Chipolte. I have only had the Asian menu and I won’t try the American menu (except for kids). My only issue is the price of the protein. I didn’t like the chicken the one time I tried it. I don’t eat beef. I love shrimp, but I get 2 or 3 shrimp on an order and that is not really worth the $2. Anyway, going there tonight to get take out. Will be spedning all day at a local attraction with my family and though I would love to cook, I won’t have the energy. We did pizza last night. I figure for about the same price, I’ll have a much better meal tonight (flavor and nutrients).
Too bad you had a bad experiance Nathan, but you should push your limits on food. your taste buds will thank you for it.
I went to noodles and co about 2-3 weeks ago and ordered the peanut Asian noodle dish. Needless to say, it was terrible for the price! I got my dish for $9 bucks but def not worth it! I did get the vegetables with noodles and added the chicken yet it was a rip off to say the least. The sauce seemed watered down, the proportions were meager and no spices. Tasted like some food I can buy at the frozen section of a grocery store and heat up. The chicken also wasn’t marinated or anything. Terrible for the $$$! Been there once never will go again.
You go to a bakery and eat fresh bakery. You go to bagel place and the bagels are made fresh.
You go to Noodles and company and pay $7.00 for noodles out of a box like the kind you buy at the grocery. A box of noodles are about $1.00 and feeds four (about a pound of noodles). How can this place charge that much for boxed noodles? Are consumers that stupid? This place is a huge ripoff. Keep in mind they buy in bulk so you are getting about $.10 in product for $7.00. Are you are FOOL?
I just left Noodles & Company and had a great time eating good food that I didn’t have to cook. I ordered the Japanese Pan Noodles with shrimp. It was very good and flavorful. I also had plenty of shrimp in my dish. My daughter had Japanese Pan Noodles with beef and a snickerdoodle cookie. My other daughter had butter noodles with a chocolate chip cookie. We always enjoy our food at Noodles and Company and the cookies are delicious. We paid about 26 dollars for our meals with drinks and I am not complaining. I would rather pay a little more to have good fresh food, than pay a little less to eat fast food out of a bag. Food doesn’t taste better just because it’s cheap and you get more of it.
The prices are listed on the menu. The cost is 5+ dollars for a small bowl and I believe 7+ for a regular bowl. I knew exactly what I was getting into when I placed my order. Again, I am not complaining.
If you think the meals are too expensive you may want to stop in and just give the cookies a try. I think they don’t disappoint and are worth every penny.