Chipotle is set to open its first ‘digital-only’ kitchen in New York that is without a dining area or employees working the front counter.
The move comes as the fast food chain has seen a spike in digital orders amid the coronavirus pandemic and the new facility reflects this success, along with eliminating indoor dining and person-to-person contact.
Customers place orders online, which are put in shelves to be retrieved inside the lobby that includes ‘all of the sounds, smells and kitchen views of a traditional Chipotle restaurant.’
The first Chipotle Digital Kitchen is opening Saturday, November 14 near the gates to the military academy in Highland Falls.
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Chipotle is set to open its first ‘digital-only’ kitchen in New York that is without a dining area or employees working the front counter. The first Chipotle Digital Kitchen is opening Saturday, November 14 near the gates to the military academy in Highland Falls
Chipotle’s digital sales, orders placed via an app or its website, soared this year as many dining areas have closed and Americans are sheltered in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The fast food chain’s digital sales grew 102 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of this year and last quarter delivery helped send its revenue up 14 percent.
And with the coronavirus still lingering across the US, Chipotle is turning its success into a new restaurant experience.
Curt Garner, Chief Technology Officer of Chipotle, said: ‘The Digital Kitchen incorporates innovative features that will complement our rapidly growing digital business, while delivering a convenient and frictionless experience for our guests.’
Customers place orders online, which are put in shelves to be retrieved inside the lobby that includes ‘all of the sounds, smells and kitchen views of a traditional Chipotle restaurant
‘With digital sales tripling year over year last quarter, consumers are demanding more digital access than ever before so we’re constantly exploring new ways to enhance the experience for our guests.’
The new design aims to capture the ‘sounds, smells and kitchen views of a traditional Chipotle’ with an open-facing kitchen.
But the new addition is a series of shelves where complete orders will be waiting for customers to retrieve.
There is also a small bench for people to wait and a separate entrance for catering orders.
The burrito giant chose this upstate New York location for its flagship location because of its ‘captive’ nearby consumer base of cadets that have requested Chipotle.
Along with providing contact-free orders, the new design is much smaller than the firm’s traditional restaurants, which will allow for it move into more urban areas where space and pricing are major factors.
Burger King is another fast food chain looking to redesign its restaurants to meet the demands of the pandemic.
The move comes as the fast food chain has seen a spike in digital orders amid the coronavirus pandemic and the new facility reflects this success, along with eliminating indoor dining and person-to-person contact
The burger chain revealed its concept in September that limits person-to-person contact and eliminates the need to go inside the facility.
The first new restaurants are set to open in Miami, Latin America, and the Caribbean in 2021, with a design focused on multiple ordering and delivery methods and a reduced physical footprint.
While customers can still walk inside, order their food, and eat, there are quite a few options that allow customers to limit their contact with others and remain outdoor or in their vehicles.
One highlight includes an outdoor-facing walk-up ordering window, where customers can order and pick up food without going inside.
The drive-thru section has been expanded, with double or even triple lanes for pulling up to order to keep things running quickly, and food is delivered via conveyor belt.
