Chipotle Mexican Grill tries out robots that halve avocados — and prep time

Chipotle Mexican Grill is piloting robots to help prep avocados for guacamole and build burrito bowls in two of its California eateries. 

The chain on Tuesday announced it is testing two machines in its restaurants for the first time, with the company looking for feedback from employees and customers before deciding on whether to expand the technology to other Chipotle restaurants. 

Dubbed Autocado, the guac helper robot can cut, core and peel avocados in 26 seconds on average, halving the time it takes human workers to make guac. Though the company’s human employees will still have to mash the fruit by hand, the technology could spare them a fair amount of toil, as Chipotle expects to use roughly 5.2 million cases of avocados — the equivalent of 129.5 million pounds of fruit — this year at locations across the U.S., Canada and Europe.

A second collaborative robot, or “cobot,” called the Augmented Makeline, will use automated technology to build bowls and salads, which make up 65% of the chain’s digital orders, according to Chipotle. The automated assembly system disperses a set amount of each ingredient in an order. Chipotle in July said it would train workers on ensuring customers received generous portions after a company probe confirmed 1 in 10 of its restaurants were too meager with their servings. 

“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,” Curt Garner, Chipotle’s chief customer and technology officer, said.

The Autocado is now operating at a Chipotle location in Huntington Beach, California, while the Augmented Makeline is helping build bowls and salads for digital orders at a Chipotle restaurant in Corona del Mar, California. Almost two-thirds of Chipotle digital orders involve bowls or salads, according to the company. 

Chipotle developed the robots with tech firms Vebu and Hyphen. The company operates more than 3,500 restaurants globally.

Other restaurant bots

Salad chain Sweetgreen last year began tested automating some food preparation after acquiring robotic kitchen startup Spyce. 

Outside the kitchen, restaurant chains including Taco Bell are trying out voice AI technology in drive-thru locations across the country, even as McDonald’s temporarily halted its use of the technology, with the burger selling saying it yielded mixed results.