Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of restaurants have tried to copy Chipotle’s model of offering custom dishes made live in front of customers by workers on a “prep line.” In theory, it’s a simple way to offer fresh food that’s customizable to what the customer wants.
The problem is that the devil is in the details. Chipotle has figured out how to deliver a product that customers want in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
In fact, the Mexican chain has actually created a fast food product that consumers value enough to pay more for it than they usually spend.
Price higher than fast food: A Chipotle burrito or bowl is average $12 to $14compared to $7 to $11 for a McDonald’s or Taco Bell combo, according to Fox9.
Competitive in fast casual: Chipotle meals are about 30 to 40% cheaper than premium fast-casual rivals like Sweetgreen or Cava, according to Restaurant Dive.
Cost factors: Prices reflect fresh ingredients, sustainable sourcing, labor and generous portionsthat sets it apart from typical fast-food operations, Meals By Andy reported.
Essentially, the Mexican chain has built something that’s better than fast food without being a traditional fast-casual table-service restaurant.
“Chipotle Mexican Grill is a category-defining fast-casual brand that transforms a focused menu and made-to-order assembly line into speed, customization and consistent quality. Its business model blends culinary credibility with operational discipline, using a streamlined kitchen and limited SKUs to drive high yield and attractive unit economics,” according to Latterly.com.
“The result is a differentiated value proposition that combines premium ingredients, transparent preparation and convenience in the restaurant and through digital pickup and delivery.”
It’s easy to see why restaurant operators would want to copy that model, but the struggles of one chain, Genghis Grill, show just how hard it is to duplicate what Chipotle created.
When Genghis Grill launched in 1998, it was a variation on the traditional Mongolian Grill model. It was a model for building your own bowl using a per-bowl format rather than the all-you-can-eat format.
Here’s how it worked.
customers select the raw ingredientsproteins, vegetables, sauces, noodles and seasonings from Fresh bar.
They put everything in a large bowl.
The bowl is then handed to a grill chefwhich roasts the ingredients on a large circular grill in front of the customer.
I visited the chain for lunch at a mall in Texas in the 2010s and loved that I could customize my bowl without having to pay top price. For dinner, I may have opted for an AYCE version of the same concept, but getting exactly what I wanted at an affordable price made for a great lunch deal.
In recent years, at least in part because of the Covid pandemic, Genghis Grill has evolved to a model where customers no longer handle the food. This allowed the chain to lower costs.
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The transition occurred in 2021 when Craveworthy Brands purchased the Genghis Grill concept.
“The brand went from a full-service restaurant model to a fast-casual concept, downsizing from 15 to 20 team members during peak hours to 5-7. Suddenly, fresh bowls were coming out in 3-5 minutes at most during those peak hours,” according to QSR Magazine.
Genghis Grill has transitioned from a build-your-own bowl concept to Shutterstock
1998: Genghis Grill opens its first location in Dallas, Texaslaunching the customizable Mongolian Roast concept where diners build their own bowls from a fresh bar.
2004: The brand is acquired by The Chalak Group, which expands the chain aggressively, eventually reaching the over 70 locations in many states, with plans to reach 100.
September 1, 2010: Genghis Grill is celebrating a milestone with 50 restaurants nationwidereflecting its rapid growth in the 2000s, the company shared in a press release.
2021: Craveworthy Brands buys Genghis Grill and the brand transition begins, according to QSR Magazine.
July 2023: A long-standing Genghis grill in Augusta Exchange Mall is closing after 10 yearsciting lease and business conditions, part of a larger pattern of local closings, The Augusta Press reported.
2024: The technical data shows Genghis Grill ended 2024 with only 22 locations, a Down 35.3 percent from the previous year, reflecting a steep drop in unit count and sales, according to Nation’s Restaurant News.
February 2025: Genghis Grill from Shop at Columns on Vann Drive is closing, one of multiple individual shutdowns amid competitive and operational pressures, Talk-N West TN shared.
December 2025: Genghis Grill’s the last San Antonio location is quietly closingwith online reviews and phone disconnects confirming the closure, according to Hoodline.
“The data shows that the shift from full-service to fast-casual was timely for Genghis Grill. The fast-casual segment has has doubled in size in the past decadefrom $37.2 billion in 2015 to an estimated $84.1 billion in 2025, with locations growing from 27,925 to 44,098,” according to Technomic’s 2026 US Foodservice Trend Predictions.
“I’ve seen the restaurant world from so many perspectives over the years, and it’s clear to me that the industry requires a new way of thinking given the new cost structure and business experiences that exist now. That’s why we created Craveworthy,” CEO Greg Majewski told Fast Casual before the company bought Genghis Grill.
The Genghis Grill website shows the chain now has 16 locations in six states. That’s down from the nearly 100 locations spread across 20 states where it operated at its peak.
In 2015, the chain’s then-owner planned to double its footprint in five years.
“Now is the time for Genghis Grill to make a move,” Jim Kuhn, former CEO of Genghis Grill, told QSR Magazine. “We know people across the country crave our food; we hear from them all the time. The improvements we’ve made over the past year have only intensified those cravings, which is why we’re on a mission to meet the demand for Genghis Grill in untapped markets across the country. It’s only a matter of time before people everywhere have the opportunity to build their own grill.”
That expansion didn’t happen, and the Covid pandemic, which made it a bad idea for consumers to handle their own food, was partly responsible.
“A key contributing factor was overly aggressive expansion, particularly through franchising,” Chef’s Resource reported.
“… Some franchisees reduced ingredients or portion sizes, leading to inconsistent customer experiences and tarnishing the brand’s reputation. This also led to financial instability among franchisees, which further destabilized the entire company.”
This was evident in the closing of a franchisee-operated location in San Antonio.
“A low score on a recent medical inspection was the least of the problems facing a west side Mongolian Grill. The owner told KSAT Investigates reporter Tim Gerber that the business was evicted because it was behind on rent and they left a big mess behind the kitchen door,” KSAT reported.
This story was originally published by TheStreet on January 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Restaurants section. Add TheStreet as a favorite source by clicking here.
