Are Chipotle's ShopHouse Locations in DC in Big Trouble?

WASHINGTON, DC — Chipotle had hoped to do for Asian food what they did for Mexican food, but it isn't quite working out. And that leaves a big question mark over D.C.'s current ShopHouse locations.

Chipotle pushed ShopHouse as a build-your-own alternative to typical Asian restaurants, and it opened its first D.C. location in Dupont Circle in 2011 before expanding to a second spot in Georgetown a couple years later. Today, there are four D.C. locations and just a handful of others in Maryland, California and Illinois. And it appears that is going to be the end of it as sales haven't quite been what the company had hoped.

Chipotle said recently that the company has "decided not to invest further in developing and growing the ShopHouse brand and will pursue strategic alternatives."

What does that mean for the ShopHouse locations in D.C.? It's not clear. Chipotle has already moved on to pushing other cuisines, including a pizzeria concept and a burger chain, according to a WTOP report.

But if you love ShopHouse, you might want to get it while you can -- it may not be around much longer.

Image via ShopHouse