Chipotle starts in-store testing for avocado, makeline robots

Dive Brief:

Chipotle is starting in-store testing for its avocado processing machine and automated makeline, the company said Monday.
The chain is testing the avocado processing machine, dubbed the Autocado and developed in conjunction with Vebu, at a Huntington Beach, California, location. It is also testing the automated makeline, which it developed with Hyphen, at a location in Corona Del Mar, California.
Chipotle has invested heavily in new technology, pouring $100 million into its Cultivate Next venture fund since 2022, which has backed Vebu and Hyphen. The scale of Chipotle’s investment in experimental restaurant equipment indicates the company sees significant upside in labor saving devices.

Dive Insight:

The Autocado takes 26 seconds to peel, cut and core an avocado, while workers handle the final steps in guacamole preparation, the company said.

The makeline, meanwhile, is positioned underneath a separate space for workers to prepare burritos and other items and effectively adds a second makeline to Chipotle’s kitchen setup to handle bowl based digital orders, which account for nearly two-thirds of digital orders.

These changes could mark a major step forward in labor savings and productivity for the company. Chipotle did not respond to a request for comment on the amount of time it takes a worker to peel, cut and core an avocado.

A man in a Chipotle uniform removes processed avocado from tray. — Courtesy of Chipotle

“These cobotic devices could help us build a stronger operational engine that delivers a great experience for our team members and our guests,” said Curt Garner, chief customer and technology officer at the brand. Garner said the next step in its testing process is to incorporate guest and worker feedback.

It’s not clear how much Chipotle has changed its devices after testing. The video for the makeline attached to the press release includes the same footage the company shared last year, in which blurry ingredients bounce out of the bowl and land in the guts of the machine.

Earlier this year, then-CEO Brian Niccol said the company’s testing process accounted for safety, but also focused on accuracy and throughput speed. Chipotle did not immediately respond to a request to clarify how it was approaching food safety, cleaning and cross contamination issues with the makeline.

Chipotle has faced throughput problems this year as rising traffic has pressured the brand’s operations. So far, the chain has largely adapted by adding labor — about half of its stores now have a worker called an expeditor who is tasked solely with packaging orders and assisting with payment.

But the chain is in the process of testing and deploying a dual-sided grill to speed up cooking chicken and steak. The testing process for the grill is further along than the Autocado and automated makeline tests, with 74 restaurants set to receive the new grills this year.