Chipotle Mexican Grill is testing robots in two California locations to assist with preparing avocados for guacamole and assembling burrito bowls.
Chipotle announced on Tuesday that it is conducting a pilot program with two robotic machines in its restaurants. The company aims to gather feedback from employees and customers to determine if it should implement the technology in more locations.
Autocado: A Guac-Making Marvel
The avocado-processing robot, Autocado, can cut, core, and peel avocados in an average of 26 seconds, significantly reducing the time it takes human workers to prepare guacamole. While employees will still need to mash the fruit manually, this technology could alleviate considerable labour.
Chipotle anticipates using approximately 5.2 million cases of avocados, equivalent to 129.5 million pounds of fruit, in its restaurants across the United States, Canada, and Europe this year. A second collaborative robot, or "cobot," named the Augmented Makeline, will utilise automated technology to assemble bowls and salads, which constitute 65 percent of the chain's digital orders.
The automated system will dispense a pre-determined amount of each ingredient for each order. In July, Chipotle announced that it would train employees to guarantee customers received ample portions following a company investigation that revealed one in 10 of its restaurants was serving insufficient amounts.
"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," said Curt Garner, Chipotle's chief customer and technology officer.
The Autocado is currently in operation at a Chipotle restaurant in Huntington Beach, California, while the Augmented Makeline is assisting with assembling bowls and salads for digital orders at a Chipotle location in Corona del Mar, California. Approximately two-thirds of Chipotle's digital orders involve bowls or salads.
With over 3,500 restaurants worldwide, Chipotle collaborated with the technology firms Vebu and Hyphen to develop robotic systems. Vebu, a comprehensive automation, robotics, and intelligence company, specialises in creating technology solutions for the broader food industry.
With a collaborative team of experts in engineering, robotics, artificial intelligence, and product development, Vebu is developing products to enhance human capabilities. Hyphen is a food service platform designed to assist restaurant owners, operators, and aspiring chefs in advancing their businesses through automated kitchen operations.
Chipotle has invested in Vebu and Hyphen through its $100 million Cultivate Next venture fund. Established in 2022, Cultivate Next provides early-stage funding to companies that share Chipotle's mission of Cultivating a Better World and support the company's ambitious long-term growth strategy of operating 7,000 restaurants in North America.
Robots And AI Are Transforming How People Work
Salad chain Sweetgreen initiated testing the automation of certain food preparation processes last year after acquiring the robotic kitchen startup Spyce. Outside the kitchen, restaurant chains such as Taco Bell are experimenting with voice AI technology in drive-thru locations nationwide.
While McDonald's temporarily suspended this technology, citing mixed results, the burger chain's exploration highlights the growing interest in AI-driven solutions within the restaurant industry.
Beyond the kitchen, AI and robotics automate the IVF process, leading to 11 successful pregnancies. Additionally, tech giants like Microsoft and OpenAI reportedly invest in robots with the potential for independent thought.
