NEW YORK - Chipotle apparently has burgers on its mind.
    
The Denver-based chain applied for a trademark for "Better Burger" earlier this month, according to a filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. A spokesman for Chipotle, Chris Arnold, noted the company has already started a pizza chain concept called Locale and an Asian food chain concept called ShopHouse.
    
Arnold said the company has noted the "Chipotle model could be applied to a wide variety of foods."
    
Chipotle, which has more than 2,000 locations, has surged in popularity by touting fresh ingredients and the flexibility to customize orders. That has led to numerous other "fast casual" restaurant openings.
    
More recently, however, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. is fighting to recover from a series of food scares that sent sales plunging.