Ted's Montana Grill

Ted's Montana Grill is an American casual-dining restaurant chain founded in 2002 by media executive and bison rancher Ted Turner and restaurateur George McKerrow Jr., with the assistance of corporate chef Chris Raucci. The first restaurant opened in Columbus, Ohio, in January 2002. The concept combined a traditional American restaurant format with a conservation-oriented mission: using demand for responsibly sourced bison as part of a broader effort to support the recovery of the American bison population. Bison remains the brand's signature offering. The company states that the bison it serves is certified by the National Bison Association, while its broader menu includes burgers, steaks, sandwiches, salads, vegetables, and other American dishes. The menu positioning is centered on substantial, approachable food rather than fine dining, with the bison burger functioning as the most recognizable expression of the concept. Environmental stewardship is part of the restaurant's operating identity rather than only a marketing theme. Ted's Montana Grill has promoted the use of paper straws, describing its program as a revival of U.S. paper-straw production after plastic straws became dominant. Restaurants have also used features such as dual-flush toilets and environmentally oriented soaps. The chain's conservation message is reinforced by its connection to Turner, whose ranching and bison-related activities helped shape the brand's original purpose. The company expanded beyond its Ohio origin during the 2000s. Its first Montana restaurant opened at the Baxter Hotel in Bozeman in June 2008, extending the brand into the state most closely associated with its name. Expansion was not uniform, however. On November 15, 2010, Ted's Montana Grill closed nine restaurants, including all three locations in the Kansas City area, two in Wichita, its only Nebraska location in Omaha, its only Raleigh location, and individual restaurants in the Chicago and Washington, D.C., areas. This represented a significant retrenchment in selected markets. The chain is based in Atlanta and, according to the referenced Wikipedia material, has 37 restaurants in 14 states. Its distinctive operating details include routinely using one-dollar coins and two-dollar bills as customer change. Overall, Ted's Montana Grill occupies a differentiated position within American casual dining by linking familiar restaurant fare with bison sourcing, Western-themed identity, and visible environmental practices. Publicly available reference material provides limited detail about its current ownership structure, executive team, financial performance, and restaurant-level operating results.

Ted's Montana Grill was created in 2002 by Ted Turner, a media executive and bison rancher, and George McKerrow Jr., a restaurateur. Corporate chef Chris Raucci also helped develop the concept. The first location opened in Columbus, Ohio, in January 2002. From the outset, the restaurant was designed as a for-profit business with a conservation-related purpose: encouraging the use of bison and contributing to efforts intended to prevent the American bison from becoming endangered or extinct. The menu established bison as the brand's defining product while retaining the broader structure of an American casual restaurant. Bison dishes, including burgers, were offered alongside steaks, sandwiches, salads, vegetables, and other familiar items. The company has described its bison as certified by the National Bison Association, making sourcing and animal identity central elements of the brand's proposition. Environmentalism became another distinctive part of the operating model. Ted's Montana Grill promoted paper straws as an alternative to plastic and presented the initiative as a return of U.S.-made paper straws after a long period in which they were no longer produced domestically. The restaurants also used dual-flush toilets and environmentally oriented soaps. These details gave the environmental message a visible presence in the guest experience. During the 2000s, the chain expanded from Ohio into additional U.S. markets. Its first Montana location opened at the Baxter Hotel in Bozeman in June 2008. The expansion was later followed by a substantial market reduction. On November 15, 2010, the company closed nine restaurants nationwide, including its three Kansas City restaurants, two Wichita restaurants, its Omaha restaurant, its Raleigh restaurant, and one restaurant each in the Chicago and Washington, D.C., areas. The company is based in Atlanta. The referenced Wikipedia material reports that Ted's Montana Grill has 37 restaurants across 14 states. The chain also maintains unusual service and presentation practices, including routinely giving customers one-dollar coins and two-dollar bills as change. Its identity therefore combines Western and Montana associations, bison-based menu differentiation, conventional American comfort food, and environmental practices. Public reference material does not establish a complete current executive roster, ownership structure, financial profile, or detailed account of later expansion and closures.

• 2010

  Nine restaurants close

  [1]Ted's Montana Grillen.wikipedia.org

  The company closes nine restaurants, including all three Kansas City locations and several single-market restaurants elsewhere in the United States.

• 2008

  First Montana restaurant opens

  [1]Ted's Montana Grillen.wikipedia.org

  The first location in Montana opens at the Baxter Hotel in Bozeman.

• 2002

  First restaurant opens in Columbus

  [1]Ted's Montana Grillen.wikipedia.org

  Ted's Montana Grill opens its first restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, after being founded by Ted Turner and George McKerrow Jr. with assistance from Chris Raucci.

A premium-leaning American casual-dining chain built around bison, traditional American food, and visible environmental stewardship.

• Bison-based entree · 2002

  Bison burgers

  Bison burgers are the brand's signature menu category and its clearest point of differentiation from mainstream American casual-dining chains. The offering connects the restaurant's food identity with Ted Turner's bison-ranching interests and the founders' stated conservation purpose. The company identifies its bison as certified by the National Bison Association.

• American entree · 2002

  Steaks and grilled meats

  Steaks and other meat-based entrees broaden the menu beyond bison and place the concept within the traditional American grill and casual-dining category. Public reference material identifies these items as part of the restaurant's wider menu but does not provide a complete current list or detailed product chronology.

• Casual-dining menu · 2002

  Sandwiches and salads

  Sandwiches and salads provide lighter and more familiar alternatives to the chain's bison and grilled-meat offerings. They support the brand's broad American casual-dining format alongside vegetables and other side dishes.

• 2007Paper-straw environmental initiative

  United States

  Ted's Montana Grill promoted paper straws as an alternative to plastic and described the effort as bringing back U.S. paper-straw production after it had largely disappeared.

  Outcome. The initiative became a visible part of the chain's environmental positioning. The available reference does not quantify customer response or environmental impact.

  Source

• 2010

  Withdrawal from selected restaurant marketsStrategy

  Background

  The chain reviewed its geographic footprint and discontinued nine restaurants on November 15, 2010.

  Action taken

  Ted's Montana Grill closed all three Kansas City locations, both Wichita locations, its Omaha and Raleigh locations, and one restaurant each in the Chicago and Washington, D.C., areas.

  Aftermath

  The closures represented a significant reduction in selected markets. The available reference does not state the financial rationale or subsequent performance effects.

  Source

• 2010

  Ted's Montana Grill closes nine restaurants in selected markets[1]Ted's Montana Grillen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  On November 15, the chain exited the Kansas City market and closed additional restaurants in Wichita, Omaha, Raleigh, the Chicago area, and the Washington, D.C., area.

• 2008

  First Montana location opens in Bozeman[1]Ted's Montana Grillen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The brand opened its first Montana restaurant at the Baxter Hotel in Bozeman, extending its presence into the state reflected in its name.

• 2002

  Ted's Montana Grill opens its first restaurant[1]Ted's Montana Grillen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The first Ted's Montana Grill opened in Columbus, Ohio, establishing the bison-centered casual-dining concept created by Ted Turner and George McKerrow Jr.

1. 1Ted's Montana Grillen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official Ted's Montana Grill websitetedsmontanagrill.com
3. 3Ted's Montana Grill Launches Nationwide Meat Delivery Service with Free Shipping Offerprnewswire.com