Press photo. /Chipotle
Chipotle debuts new kitchen tech to enhance order assembly process and guacamole preparation
The brand is testing them in different restaurants in the US.
Chipotle announced that it is testing its Autocado, an avocado processing machine and the Augmented Makeline cobotic system in select California locations to enhance its guacamole preparation and order assembly processes.
The Autocado, developed in partnership with automation, robotics, and intelligence company Vebu helps cuts, cores, and peels avocados before they are hand mashed to create the restaurant's signature guacamole.
According to Chipotle, the Autocado takes approximately 26 seconds to fully flesh out the fruit inside an avocado.
The current iteration of Autocado features an updated design and size-agnostic avocado processing abilities that lets the machine recognises variability in the fruit and automatically adjust itself to accommodate the size of the avocados being loaded.
Meanwhile, Augmented Makeline, a cobotic makeline built in collaboration with foodservice platform HYPHEN, is also being tested.
The machine uses automated technology to build bowls and salads whilst Chipotle employees operate the top makeline to make burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and kid's meals.
According to Chipotle, 65% of all digital orders are bowls or salads. The Augmented Makeline can improve employee efficiency and digital order accuracy.
Both machines are currently being tested in different restaurants in the US. The Autocado is currently operating at Chipotle's Huntington Beach, Calif. location at 20972 Magnolia St. The Augmented Makeline is being utilised at the company's Corona del Mar (CDM), Calif. location at 3050 East Coast Hwy.
"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, Chief Customer and Technology Officer. "Optimizing our use of these systems and incorporating crew and customer feedback are the next steps in the stage-gate process before determining their broader pilot plans."
