On July 29, 2016, the company announced the opening of its first Tasty Made burger restaurant in the fall. The first located was revealed to be in
Lancaster, Ohio. Chipotle had trademarked Better Burger earlier in the year. Tasty Made was announced to have a focused menu like early burger restaurant which were limited to burgers, fries and milkshakes. Ohio was selected as culinary manager Nate Appleman and national training director David Chrisman are both from the state and help design the concept. The first Tasty Made opened on October 27, 2016, at 732 N. Memorial Drive in
Lancaster, Ohio. The opening came after a July 2016 announcement that the first location would be in Lancaster.
Chipotle Mexican Grill founder,
Steve Ells, said that the chain would only be making a limited menu of burgers, fries and milkshakes. At the opening, it was also announced that there would be a second location opening in nearby
Pickerington, Ohio, though since the announcement, the planned location has been made into a traditional Chipotle restaurant. In September 2017, the company announced that it would be partnering with
Richard Blais who found fame on
Bravo's Top Chef and frequently appears on
Food Network programs. According to a company press release, he would be looking at company and the menu "with a fresh eye." On December 4, 2017, the company released the revamped menu that featured two new hamburgers, seasonal milkshakes and a fry bar station. On February 28, 2018, the
Lancaster Eagle-Gazette reported that the location would be closing after only 16 months of operation. The paper quoted a spokesman saying, "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." Also according to the newspaper, the restaurant was criticized almost immediately after opening for the quality of its food. ==See also==