Chipotle to test robot to assemble bowls, salads; workers to make burritos, tacos, quesadillas

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Chipotle is testing a high-tech option to make bowls and salads when orders are placed online.

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The restaurant company announced it is partnering with Hyphen, a kitchen automation company, to streamline some of its production of digital orders by using a robot to put together bowls and salads while a human simultaneously assembles burritos, tacos, quesadillas or kid’s meals in the same order.

The process will begin when a customer places an order online, either via Chipotle’s app, its website or third parties.

Bowls and salads, which account for about 65% of online orders, will go to the Hyphen system, while the rest of the order will be routed to a person.

The automated line will be located below the main service line used by the employee, and when the salad or bowl is done with all the ingredients dispensed by the automated system, it will pop up to the main line through a counter opening. The person will then add a lid and any sides, such as chips, to the order.

Chipotle said the use of the robotic line could increase capacity for digital orders and help free up employees on the front make line.

The company did not say which restaurants will be receiving the automated systems.

This isn’t the first time Chipotle has used automation in its restaurants.

CNBC reported that it tested Chippy, a robot to make tortilla chips in a California location last year.

Chipotle also tried the “Autocado,” a robot that was used to help speed up the guacamole-making process by cutting, coring and peeling avocados, CNN reported in July. An employee still mashed the cleaned avocados, adding salt, lime juice and jalapenos to make the guacamole.