Chipotle’s burger concept Tasty Made closes its only location
Chipotle’s first burger concept, Tasty Made, has closed for good, according to multiple news outlets. The company announced that the restaurant, which opened in 2016, would close the doors to its only location after Wednesday, February 28.
Chris Arnold, a spokesperson for Chipotle, told The Daily Meal, “While we liked the concept and the delicious food at Tasty Made, the economics were not what we wanted them to be in Lancaster, Ohio, so we have decided to close that restaurant. All of the employees will be given the opportunity to apply for positions at Chipotle.”
The restaurant had teamed up with James Beard Award-nominated cookbook author Richard Blais in 2017 to revamp the Tasty Made menu, but it looks like not even the talents of Blais could save the burger joint from its fate.
“I’d also note that chef Richard Blais has been a great partner in this venture, and his talents quickly elevated the quality of the food at Tasty Made,” Arnold continued. “The decision to close is in no way a reflection on Richard or his capabilities as a chef and restaurateur, and we would certainly consider working with him again if there was an opportunity to do so that made sense.”
It appears that other Chipotle concepts such as Pizzeria Locale are not seeing a ton of growth despite positive predictions. The Italian concept currently has a total of seven locations, but it had been anticipated to have many more by last year.
KFC and Taco Bell have both launched fast-casual offshoots - KFC 11 and Taco Bell Cantina - that have shown mild but not astronomical success. Could it be a sign that the fast-casual wave has simply crested? Nothing as obvious as these disastrous fast food menu fails seems responsible for the slow growth and closures.
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