Chipotle has also announced an automated bowl-and-salad maker and a Avocado processing robot It will be rolled out of the test kitchen and installed in a few locations in California.
The chain announced its deployment on Monday and said feedback will determine whether the technology will be implemented more widely.
Both locations are in California, where all of the fast food chains are Workers must be paid $20 per hour Even more growth is likely on the horizon. Chipotle said in a statement that it is testing technology to find efficiencies and “help our restaurant staff continue to provide great hospitality to our guests.”
In recent years many restaurant chains have developed technology that reduces the need for cashiers, such as Self Service KioskOther California-based chains, Sweetgreen and Jack-in-the-Box, have also invested in private technology startups that are pursuing visions of robots making burgers, fries and salad bowls at scale.
However, fast-food workers typically also perform other tasks, such as greeting customers, cleaning floors and fetching supplies from the back room — which most robots currently can't do.
Chipotle, which had revenue of about $9.9 billion last year, has not linked automation to the state's pay hike. It has said workers working with the automated bowl-and-salad maker will continue to make burritos and tacos, add side items and monitor the quality of the machines.
The automated bowl-and-salad maker, which Chipotle calls its “augmented makeline,” automatically delivers rice, corn, lettuce and other ingredients into a bowl under the counter. Chipotle said 65% of all digital orders are bowls and salads.
“This technology could be a game changer, putting Chipotle well ahead of its competitors in terms of automation,” BTIG analyst Peter Saleh said in a July 25 investor note, referring to its automated bowl-and-salad maker.
Chipotle said it invested in the technologies through a $100 million venture fund, to which it added $50 million in February. The fund has a stake in Hyphen, a San Jose-based startup founded in 2020 that is behind Chipotle's automated bowl-and-salad maker, which is running at its Corona del Mar store.
Sweetgreen has already introduced a similar automated bowl-making machine called the “Infinity Kitchen” in some locations, including California.
Chipotle said its “Autocado” technology, which cuts, peels and then grinds avocados into guacamole, is in place at its Huntington Beach office. Built by Webu, a Los Angeles-based startup founded in 2022, the machine processes an avocado in 26 seconds. Chipotle says it processes more than 5 million avocados each year.
Previously, Chipotle tested an automated system called “Chippie” that makes spicy tortilla chips. But the company said cleaning and set-up costs offset its labor savings.
Fast-food chains currently employ more workers in California than any other state. After the new $20-an-hour minimum wage went into effect on April 1, Chipotle raised prices in the state by 7%, executives said in an investor call earlier this year.
For 2025, the California Fast Food Workers Union demands Raise the minimum wage to $20 Taking inflation into account, it has been raised to $20.70. At a meeting of the Fast Food Workers Council on Wednesday, public comments were heard from several franchisees urging the council to halt further increases.
