Ted's Montana Grill Announces 20 Year Impact on Environment and Reviving Bison Population

ATLANTA, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Conservationist Ted Turner and award-winning restaurateur George McKerrow founded Ted's Montana Grill in 2002 with a mission – to help save the bison and lead sustainability efforts in the restaurant industry. Twenty years later, Turner, McKerrow and a passionate team at Ted's have made a significant impact on the bison population and the environment.

Ted's Montana Grill has worked with Turner Ranches and others to double the herds to an estimated half a million bison in North America, successfully saving this American icon from the endangered species list. Ted's has also pioneered the first "green restaurant" with a commitment to sustainability. As the restaurant that started the paper straw movement, Ted's has prevented nearly 75 million plastic straws from ending up in landfills, saved 40 million gallons of water, reduced food waste by more than half compared to the average restaurant, and more.

"The bison business was once in a state of economic meltdown due to the steep cost of live animals and unsold bison meat," said Dave Carter, executive director of the National Bison Association. "Turner and McKerrow recognized the great taste and health benefits of bison, realizing they could help save them if they made it the cornerstone of their menu. Opening Ted's was exactly what we needed to introduce consumers to bison and grow the population."

Ted's serves ranch-raised American bison with no hormones or steroids. Selections include bison burgers, steaks, meatloaf, short ribs, and more. Bison is also the leanest red meat, rich in iron and Omega-3 fatty acids, among its many health benefits.

"Everyone in the bison business welcomed the concept of Ted's, and continues to support the restaurant," said Carter. "The impact Ted's has made on the bison population is an amazing story of how a conservationist and a restaurateur collaborated to save what is now America's National
Mammal."

"I believe that you should set goals beyond your reach so you always have something to live for," said Turner, owner of the largest private bison herd in the world. "The idea of saving an animal from extinction was once an insurmountable challenge. Witnessing the growth of bison each year is an indescribable feeling of pride. I can only hope that our herds will continue to thrive, as long as consumers continue to support bison restoration."

In addition to their commitment to bison, Ted's sustainability program has been the heart of its operations since it opened its first location in Columbus, Ohio. Ted's sources its food locally to reduce waste, uses recycled table paper instead of linens to save water, has Boraxo soap in the restrooms, and trains its team members that sustainability is the guiding principle for every decision.

"When we started Ted's, we envisioned a restaurant with the spirit of the Great American West at the core of every meal and guest experience," said McKerrow. "Ted's is a place where the little things are the big things. We're proud of the overall impact we have made on bison and the environment in 20 years, and that is an ideal worth protecting."

About Ted's:
Ted's Montana Grill is an Atlanta-based restaurant founded in 2002 by environmentalist Ted Turner and award-winning restaurateur George McKerrow. Known for its made-from-scratch, classic American cuisine, the menu includes ranch-raised bison and premium beef selections, iconic burgers, hand-cut, aged steaks in its on-premise butcher shop, all-natural chicken, fresh seafood, salads with locally-sourced ingredients, hand-crafted cocktails, bourbons, local beers, old-fashioned milkshakes, malts, wines, hand-squeezed lemonade and Boylan^® sodas.

Contact:
Krista Joiner
Marie Berlin PR
(404) 272-9157
[email protected]

SOURCE Ted's Montana Grill