Chipotle Mexican Grill is opening its first digital-only restaurant called the Chipotle Digital Kitchen right in NY state. Located just outside of the gates to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in Highland Falls, NY, the restaurant will open this Saturday for pick-up and delivery only. Chipotle has seen a surge in digital orders this year and now makeup nearly half of sales.
The new prototype location will allow Chipotle to enter more urban areas that wouldn’t support a full-size restaurant and allows for flexibility with future locations.
Many Chipotle restaurants are already limited in eat-in dining seating due to the pandemic.
The Digital Kitchen is unique because it does not include a dining room or front service line and guests must order in advance via Chipotle.com, the Chipotle app or third-party delivery partners. Orders can be picked up from a lobby that is designed to include all of the sounds, smells and kitchen views of a traditional Chipotle restaurant. The Digital Kitchen will also service large catering orders available for pick up in a separate lobby with its own dedicated entry.
“The Digital Kitchen incorporates innovative features that will complement our rapidly growing digital business, while delivering a convenient and frictionless experience for our guests,” said Curt Garner, Chief Technology Officer of Chipotle. “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.”
Chipotle has over 2,700 restaurants in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. The company operates all of its restaurants and doesn’t franchise.
