Chipotle Unveils New Robot, Unlikely to Squash Portion Size Critics
Chipotle is testing out a new robotic prototype that would automate the process of assembling burrito bowls and salads, which, according to the company, make up about 65 percent of all digital orders. But the news is already raising familiar concerns from loyal customers regarding portion sizes.
The idea is ostensibly that the automated digital makeline—which is a collaboration with the food service automation startup, Hyphen—would give employees more time to service the customer-facing portion of the restaurant while putting together more structurally complex dishes such as burritos, quesadillas, tacos, and kid’s meals. It would also help increase capacity for digital orders during peak periods.
When digital orders placed via the Chipotle app, Chipotle.com, or third-party platforms such as Uber Eats include a bowl or salad, those menu items would be routed to Hyphen’s automated system. As the bowl passes through the digital assembly line, located below the workstation, ingredients are precisely dispensed.
The completed bowl is then raised through an elevated door at the end of the makeline, where the Chipotle team member adds any final items such as chips, side salsas, or guacamole to the order and places a lid on the entrée. You can see it in action in the video, below.
“Chipotle’s new digital makeline built by Hyphen embodies our commitment to leveraging robotics to unlock the human potential of our workforce, ensuring an elevated dining experience for our guests,” said Curt Garner, Chief Customer and Technology Officer, in a press release. “Our goal is to have the automated digital makeline be the centerpiece of all our restaurants’ digital kitchens.”
However, considering the fast casual chain has already been maligned over portion size, it seems unlikely the automated system will change that. “These robot serving sizes are gonna piss me off,” wrote one user on X, formerly Twitter. “That robot looks stingy as hell,” added another. “I go to Chipotle for the employees that dgaf and load up the bowls.”
The automated assembly line is the latest innovation from Chipotle, which unveiled an avocado processing robotic prototype called the Autocado over the summer, hoping to cut down on the time it takes to cut, pit, and scoop avocados. The company said at the time it takes approximately 50 minutes for human employees to make a fresh batch of guacamole.
But it will likely still be a while before consumers encounter the new digital makeline or the Autocado in their own local Chipotle locations. For now, they’re found only at the Chipotle Cultivate Center in Irvine, CA.
