Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. has filed a trademark application for the phrase “better burger,” according to a report by Bloomberg Wednesday.
The application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office indicates that the Denver-based fast-casual operator may be looking to add a burger concept to its portfolio.
Chris Arnold, a spokesman for the Denver-based company, told Bloomberg that it was “a growth seed idea we are exploring.”
Chipotle has said for years that it planned to expand the model it has applied to burritos to other cuisines.
The company also operates 15 locations of ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, a pan-Asian concept launched in 2011 similar to Chipotle, where customers walk a service line to build their noodle or rice bowl, or salad.
Chipotle is also an investor in the four-unit fast-casual pizza concept Pizzeria Locale.
Contact Lisa Jennings at [email protected].
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