Chipotle Tests Robots in Two OC Restaurants

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE: CMG) has rolled out two kitchen robotics systems at two different restaurants in Orange County.

The Autocado, an automated helper that cuts, cores and peels avocados to make guacamole, is currently being tested in Huntington Beach. Chipotle’s augmented makeline, which builds bowls and salads from digital orders, is operating at a Corona del Mar location. 

The Newport Beach-based restaurant chain has been testing the automated food prep system with tech partner Hyphen at its Cultivate Center in Irvine since Oct. 2023. The avocado processor, developed in partnership with Vebu, debuted earlier last year in July. 

“Optimizing our use of these systems and incorporating crew and customer feedback are the next steps in the stage-gate process before determining their broader pilot plans,” Chief Customer and Technology Officer Curt Garner said in a statement.  

The in-restaurant testing does not guarantee a rollout to all restaurants. Chipotle’s test of Chippy, a robotic tortilla chip fry maker by Miso Robotics, was briefly tested in OC but called off earlier this year.  

Chipotle, currently valued at $79 billion, is Orange County’s second largest restaurant chain by sales.  

For more on what OC’s No. 1 chain Taco Bell is doing with AI, see this week’s issue of the Business Journal.