Chipotle Is Testing A New Batch Of Robots In Its Restaurants

Chipotle has experienced many ups and downs during its time in business, but the beloved quick service chain might soon have a reputation for being on the cutting edge of food prep. In an email shared with Mashed, Chipotle announced it's currently testing collaborative robots (or cobots) in two California locations. The Autocado makes quick work of processing avocados, while the Augmented Makeline assists with the creation of Chipotle's wildly popular salads and bowls (which comprise about 65% of all digital orders received by the chain).

In a press release issued by Chipotle, chief customer and technology officer Curt Garner stated, "These cobotic devices could help us build a stronger operational engine that delivers a great experience for our team members and our guests while maintaining Chipotle's high culinary standards." Both technologies were developed through Cultivate Next, a $100 million venture capital fund instituted to facilitate future growth. Robotic devices have been quietly taking over fast-food for some time, with many establishments investing in automation to create a better experience overall.

Peeling errors are among the many mistakes people make with avocados, but Chipotle's Autocado aims to assist crew in this laborious process. According to the email announcing the restaurant's new technology, Chipotle will likely use 129.5 million pounds of avocados this year alone in locations all over the globe. With the Autocado, created by automation and robotics company Verbu, the process of cutting, coring, and peeling the fruit will take a brisk 26 seconds. Once fully processed, the avocado will be subject to hand-mashing to ensure the texture that Chipotle customers know and love.

As for the Augmented Makeline, designed by foodservice platform Hyphen, this device will create bowls and salads using an assembly line system outfitted with an ingredient dispenser. This dispenser distributes the precise amount of ingredients needed for each order, allowing Chipotle staff to focus on preparing other items such as tacos and burritos. The goal of both technologies is to boost efficiency within Chipotle locations to the benefit of employees and customers. How well will these innovations work in practice? Only time will tell.