According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark office website, Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) has filed a trademark application for the name “Better Burger”, indicating that the company might be planning to enter the burger segment. The company has already has already launched two non-Chipotle restaurant chains (the Asian ShopHouse and Pizzeria Locale), though neither chain has many locations. That said, Chipotle believes that its model can work for a variety of food styles. Chipotle’s popularity has been impacted by the recent noro- and e coli virus scandals and company sales are off sharply as a result. Still, its “Food With Integrity” promise, paired with a combination of healthy menu items, remains attractive and, over time, diners are likely to return. Diversification into additional branded restaurant chains can only help to generate additional revenue streams, which should benefit Chipotle in the long run.
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