Chipotle began rolling out their new menu item to many of their restaurants around the nation.

Tofu burritos or Sofritas, as the restaurant chain officially named the new item, is the first major menu change since its opening in 1993, according to chipotle.com.

Sofritas were first tested in California and have been added to the menus of Chipotle restaurants in over a dozen states including New York, Massachusetts and D.C.

Although the new option is expected to be released to all restaurants nationwide, it is still unknown as to when it will be added to Northwest Ohio locations, which includes Bowling Green.

“There’s no set timetable for when it will be available,” said Chipotle Communications Director Chris Arnold. “We hope to have it in all of our restaurants by the year’s end.”

He said the schedule for the release of Chipotle’s Sofritas would not be made available until the option is due to arrive in a given location.

Sofritas began in the San Francisco Bay area, then quickly expanded to the whole state of California. They’re now offered in over a dozen states, and specific cities as far as Chicago and Vancouver.

“We’re really happy with the response we’ve gotten from our customers,” Arnold said. “I think it’s been welcoming to those who are looking for another vegetarian option.”

Currently, all of the restaurants have the option of chicken, steak, pork carnitas, barbacoa, or vegetarian burrito and burrito bowls. Tofu is the newest option that is friendly to vegans.

Catherine Tomanski, a senior at the University said she is excited for the new option to arrive at local restaurants.

“I like tofu and I like Chipotle, so why not give it a try?” she said.

On the other hand, junior Kyle Fugger said the tofu option is something he would ignore.

“It’s not a substitute for real meat,” he said. “I wouldn’t pay for it. I think most people would just ignore it because even vegetarians could load up on rice and vegetables.”

Whether students want to branch out and try the tofu, or stick with one of Chipotle’s original options, the restaurant chain is making an effort to ensure the public and its customers that they want to use the best ingredients.

The Sofritas are made with organic tofu, and then braised with chipotle chilis and poblano peppers along with other spices, according to chipotle.com.