The fast-casual restaurant chain, Chipotle Mexican Grill continues testing artificial intelligence (AI) in its kitchen operations.
Chipotle Mexican Grill, which has been piloting a customized autonomous kitchen assistant (nicknamed “Chippy”) to cook and season tortilla chips since March 2022 and testing a robotic avocado processing prototype known as “Autocado” since July 2023, is now applying automation to its makeline for digital orders.
Chipotle is testing an artificial intelligence (AI)–based automated digital makeline from foodservice platform Hyphen. Bowls and salads are created by the automated system that moves the entrées through the bottom makeline, where ingredients for the order are dispensed automatically. In tandem, a Chipotle associate can leverage the top makeline to create burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and kid’s meals for the same digital order.
Chipotle also made an unspecified investment in Hyphen as part of Cultivate Next, the company’s $50M venture fund.
“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. “At Chipotle Mexican Grill our goal is to have the automated digital makeline be the centrepiece of all our restaurants’ digital kitchens.”
