We're ready for life in the Chipotlane! On Wednesday, Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol informed investors that the chain was set to introduce drive-thru style lanes at "dozens of locations," Business Insider reports. So, soon burrito-fanatics will be free to dine from the comfort of their driver's seat. However, there's a twist—the window is for mobile pick-up orders only.
Prior to the Chipotlanes, customers could pick-up their preordered meals from a second, quicker line, which annoyingly involved actually going in public and wearing non-sweatpants. So, this whole upgrade is definitely an improvement to the process. "You never have to get out of your car. You order from your app, pull up to the window and out comes Chipotle," Niccol said. "Consumers' [number one] barrier to Chipotle is access. One way to access is to not have to have people get out of their cars."
However, the addition isn't completely new. Last May, the brand began testing the concept in 10 different restaurants, including Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Massachusetts. According to Business Insider, the change was encouraged by investors after rumors of trouble began to circulate around the chain.
While the Chipotlanes will continue to pop up around the country, they won't likely be at your current store. A majority of the drive-thru windows will be built in new locations rather than pre-existing ones. "Arguably, it will be the fastest way to [get] Chipotle," their CEO added.
With digital orders continuing to climb—according to the company, their most recent quarter produced growth of 65.6 percent—the strategy makes sense. Mobile orders currently make up 12.9 percent of overall sales, however the move will likely only drive that number up further.
I know my personal Chipotle protocol will be changing, and hallelujah for that.
