Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024
Fast food giant Chipotle Mexican Grill is moving into the world of automation in two of its California locations. These locations have adopted an automated bowl-and-salad maker, as well as an avocado-processing robot – dubbed the “Autocado.” This addition to their kitchen aims to streamline the preparation of one of their most popular items – guacamole. The robot handles the labour-intensive process, which involves peeling, pitting, and mashing avocados. By automating these tasks, Chipotle hopes to enhance efficiency, ensure consistent quality, and reduce the physical strain on their kitchen staff.
This innovation comes at a time when the restaurant industry is increasingly turning to technology to address challenges such as labour shortages and rising operational costs. Other California-based chains have also invested in private tech startups that envision fast food made by robots. California fast food chains are required to pay workers $20 an hour, with further increases on the horizon at the urging of the California Fast Food Workers Union. However, Chipotle, which last year had revenue of nearly $9.9 billion, has not attributed the move to the state’s wage hike.
Chipotle has invested $150 million in developing this technology. Previously, the company had tested “Chippy” – an automated system to make tortilla chips. Unfortunately, Chippy did not get off the ground, as the company said that clean-up and set-up costs offset the labour savings.
As Chipotle continues to refine its use of automation, it will be interesting to see how other aspects of their operations might benefit from similar technological advancements. The success of the Autocado robot may set a precedent for how modern kitchens adapt to the evolving demands of the food industry.
Author: Alexa Guerra, 2024-2025 Articling Student
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