Chipotle burger chain Tasty Made open for business

LANCASTER - Jamary McDougald was one of the first customers at Tasty Made when it officially opened at 10 a.m. Thursday. The business is Chipotle Mexican Grill's first-ever foray into the burger business in the country.

"It's very professional and courteous," McDougald said. "I love the look and the layout. I can't wait to try the food."

The restaurant, which had an invitation-only soft opening Wednesday, sells burgers, fries and shakes at its 732 N. Memorial Drive location.

Lancaster was chosen for the debut restaurant because one of Chipotle's executives, David Chrisman, is a Carroll native. He said the company originally wanted to open the first restaurant in Columbus.

"I kept coming back to visit some friends and family that still live around here," Chrisman, a Granville resident, said. "And it just reminded me of days when I was young and what a special community it was. I actually opened the Chipotle here about 10 years ago."

The new business will have about 40 employees, both full-time and part-time.

Chrisman said he worked with real estate agent Zack DeLeon, Mayor Brian Kuhn and city economic development director Mike Pettit to get the restaurant open.

"I guess there was just something really special about it," he said. "Their commitment, the way they talked about the community. It felt warm, it felt inviting. It felt like they wanted to be a part of this. And that commitment from them is really what put it over the top in getting us here. I can't think of a better place for us to start than Lancaster."

Chrisman said the new concept is a way for Chipotle to change the way people think about fast food.

"This puts us in a really special position," he said. "Because we're now serving what is traditionally a classic American meal of cheeseburgers, fries and shakes, sort of actually aligns to kind of competing with traditional fast food and do it through ways that Chipotle has done in serving quality ingredients, a focused menu. That is literally our menu, burgers, fries and shakes, and serving those really high-quality ingredients."

Chrisman said Tasty Made uses naturally raised beef that is never frozen and that the animals are raised without growth hormones or antibiotics. He said the other menu items also are made from high-quality ingredients, which he said will give Tasty Made a large advantage in the market.

Chrisman also said Tasty Made customers will receive a high degree of hospitality.

"Which I think is something that has kind of gone missing in the fast-food world," he said. "You'll notice a little bit of a retro theme here, and I think it's a throwback to a time when you had guys and girls and men and women working in a milkshake shop and really delivered that experience that felt like home. You had kids sitting on the curb just having a shake after a ballgame. And Lancaster's very much about that."

Tasty Made also features a drive-thru, but Chrisman said that will be different than others because there will be an employee outside helping customers with their orders.

Mayor Brian Kuhn said the city met with Chipotle in April about opening Tasty Made here.

"The city was doing everything we could to help push this along," he said. "They had great comments about our departments and how well we worked with them. So April was when we first met, and now, before the end of October, they're open. It's just great."

Lancaster resident Barbara Schaeffer would no doubt agree. Like McDougald, she was one of the first customers.

"I'm very excited about a new store opening in Lancaster, helping the rebirth and growth of the community," she said.

The Lancaster location may be the first, but Chrisman said it won't be the last. Another one is planned to open in December or January at the former Sonic location on Hill Road in Pickerington near Kohl's.

"Oh, I cannot wait," said McDougald, a Pickerington resident. "I can't wait. If the food tastes good, I'm going to be there every day."

Tasty Made is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

jbarron@lancastereaglegazette.com

740-681-4340

Twitter: @JeffDBarron