Chipotle has developed robots to ensure that all of its portions are the same size.
The popular Mexican chain, with nearly 3,400 locations in the United States, has built a machine that can prepare orders of salads and bowls.
Last week, bosses admitted that widespread customer complaints about varying portion sizes between stores were valid.
But there’s another reason Chipotle bosses are so eager to move forward: It will reduce the number of workers needed, which will lower rising labor costs.
The so-called digital ordering line, which portions out salads and entrees based on orders in the app, will be tested in restaurants in August, Chipotle Chief Financial Officer Jack Hartung told analysts.
Since two out of every three orders the chain places are for these meals, executives believe the machine could free up a considerable amount of staff time.
It is one of several new robots, the other big robot being the ‘Autocado’, an avocado processing robot.
The advanced technology is undergoing final safety checks before its release.
Chipotle is looking to introduce a digital assembly line to prepare its salads and bowls
The product line is expected to be introduced into restaurants as early as August this year.
However, questions have already been raised about the security of the digital production line.
A promotional video released last year showed chopped ingredients bouncing from bowls into the machine, which some questioned as a potential hazard.
“Our operations and food safety teams have worked closely with our technology teams to ensure the design takes into account aspects such as cleanliness, speed and accuracy,” CEO Brian Niccol said on last week’s call.
‘There are a lot of things that happen at home to make us more effective at cooking and preparation, which then sets us up to be consistently successful.’
“We have things that make us more efficient with prep, whether it’s an Autocado, a vegetable slicer, a double-sided grill, we’re looking at modifications to our rice cooker, our air fryer equipment,” Hartung said.
She added: “There are a lot of things going on at home that make us more effective at cooking and preparing, which then sets us up to be consistently successful.”
It’s not yet clear how the production costs of using machines compare to human labor in making Chipotle’s menu items.
It is still unclear how many items the digital assembly line can produce per hour compared to manpower.
Chipotle has bet big on technological advancements, investing $100 million in its Cultivate Next fund.
The fund gives money to partner companies to develop machinery that can hopefully one day be used on a large scale in their restaurants or in their supply chain.
Despite this, the company has not resorted to flashy new technology to meet high order volumes so far this year, instead increasing its use of front-of-house staff, Restaurant Dive reported.
Chipotle invests in the manufacture of ‘Autocado’, an avocado processing robot
Wells Fargo analyst Zachary Fadem and his team ordered 75 burrito bowls at eight different locations in New York City.
Chipotle’s sales this year have exceeded Wall Street expectations, boosted by price increases and a jump in the number of loyal customers.
But the company has come under fire this year for varying portion sizes.
This motivated Chipotle CEO Brian Nicol denied that he had given instructions Staff will skimp on rations The company revealed that it will be implementing changes to ensure customer satisfaction.
He revealed that Chipotle will retrain its staff to ensure that “generous portions” are consistent across its more than 3,500 stores.
Last month, Wells Fargo analyst Zachary Fadem and his team put the theory that Chipotle has been skimping on its typically large portions to the test, after a series of videos posted on TikTok showed employees barely filling their burrito bowls.
The team ordered and weighed 75 bowls, all with the same ingredients, from eight locations in New York City.
They found that the consistency of burrito bowls varied widely from restaurant to restaurant, with some locations serving bowls that were up to 33 percent heavier than others, the study found.