Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc has added a new steak dish to its menu nationwide in the US for the first time in three years as the Mexican food chain looks to drive sales in a crowded US restaurant market.
Carne asada, a dish of thin steak slices seasoned with signature spices, will be offered on the menu for a limited period of time. It was piloted in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Fresno, California, Chipotle said.
"It performed incredibly well in the test markets," said Chris Brandt, chief marketing officer of Chipotle.
Working To Rebuild Its Image
Chipotle has been working to rebuild its image under CEO Brian Niccol after a series of food safety lapses hit the company's reputation in 2015. It has been testing new menu items in addition to other initiatives such as new ad campaigns and loyalty program to boost its turnaround.
In July, Niccol teased the national rollout of new additions to the menu including carne asada, quesadillas, desserts and nachos.
Last year, Chipotle added condiment queso cheese to its menu, but was initially met with bad reviews from some Twitter users calling it a "crime against cheese", forcing the company to tweak the recipe.
In January, the company launched a new line of "lifestyle bowls", including paleo and keto salads for online customers.
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