Chipotle is going to make burgers now

Look out, Ronald. Chipotle is coming.

The leader of the "fast casual" restaurant revolution best known for its burritos and guacamole now has its eyes on the burger industry.

Chipotle Mexican Grill confirmed on Wednesday that the company has applied for the trademark for "Better Burger," a move that signals what could be a new chain under the Chipotle empire.

Chipotle already runs two other chains in addition to its flagship Mexican restaurants -- the Southeast Asia-inspired ShopHouse and Pizzeria Locale. 

Chipotle's expansion into burgers comes at a tough time for the company. An E. coli outbreak followed by multiple instances at various Chipotle locations led to dozens of sickened customers. 

Although the restaurants have since been declared safe by the Center for Disease Control, worries persist that its brand -- built on being a convenient place to eat fresh, organic food -- may have suffered a serious blow. Its shares are down 28% in the past year, and Chipotle has already admitted that its sales have taken a big hit.

The company has been trying to attract its customers back with free burritos. 

The U.S. burger market is big and crowded. One industry report from 2014 found that burger restaurant sales hit $73 billion from a whopping 49,000 restaurants. 

McDonald's owned just more than a third of the market. 

McDonald's served a crucial role in helping Chipotle emerge as one of its main competitors, providing the capital for the chain to expand rapidly in the late 1990s and early 2000s. 

McDonald's owned 90% of Chipotle by 2005 but sold off its stake. Since then, Chipotle has emerged as one of the fastest growing chains in the U.S.

Chipotle won't just be competing with the mainstays of the U.S. burger industry. Shake Shack has been expanding rapidly, offering a similar high-quality-but-fast-food experience as Chipotle. 

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