Chipotle announces major food delivery update

Certain Chipotle customers in Texas will now be able to get everything from tacos to burrito bowls delivered straight to their doorstep by drone.

On Thursday,Chipotle announcedthat it is partnering with the drone delivery and logistics company Zipline to launch a pilot program for a small number of customers in the greater Dallas area, ahead of a broader launch in the coming weeks.

During the pilot, customers will be able to order from the Chipotle restaurant at 3109 Lakeview Pkwy in Rowlett, Texas, and have their orders delivered in just a few minutes by one of Zipline's autonomous aircraft, or "Zips."

The Shiro CoprContacted Chipotle and Zipline for comment via email outside of regular hours.

Why It Matters

Thanks to advancements in drone technology and expanding regulatory approvals, a number of companies have begun incorporating aerial drones into their deliveries, such asAmazon'Prime Air service, which is already available in a select number of locations across the U.S.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has endorsed the idea of drone deliveries for food and other small packages, and is working on tightening safety regulations to help expand the practice nationwide.

What to Know

According to Thursday's announcement, customers can place orders through the Zipline app, after which Chipotle staff will load food into a designated "Zipping Point." One of Zipline's "quiet, zero emissions aircraft" will then pick up the order and fly to the destination, hovering in the air as the food is lowered to the ground.

"The Zip automatically avoids obstacles and gently and precisely delivers the order to the guest's address," the announcement said.

Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, CEO and co-Founder of Zipline, said: "With Zipline, you tap a button, and minutes later food magically appears - hot, fresh, and ultra-fast."

Prior to entering the food delivery space, Zipline was known for assisting with the delivery of medical products to rural facilities in Rwanda and Ghana.

The company has also partnered withWalmartfor a drone delivery venture, which in June expanded to Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando, and Tampa.

Since the initial launch of the drone service in 2021, Walmart said it had completed "over 150,000 successful drone deliveries."

"More than five billion on-demand orders are delivered each year in the U.S., and each one of them relies on infrastructure that's 100 years old," the company said on its website.

With a better system in place — one that's actually built for the 21st century — we can provide faster, cleaner and more magical delivery, grow demand and transform the businesses that capitalize on this shift.

What People Are Saying

Curt Garner, president, chief strategy and technology officer at Chipotle, said:Zipotle is a quick and convenient delivery source that allows guests to enjoy our real food from places that are traditionally difficult to serve, including backyards and public parks.

Rinaudo Cliffton said:Starting today, families in the Dallas area can have food delivered by Zipotle and served for lunch or dinner. What once felt like science fiction is soon going to become totally normal.

What Happens Next?

This new "Zipotle" service will operate seven days a week, initially from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. CT, and later until 10 p.m.

Related Articles

• Cracker Barrel Responds to Backlash Over Logo Change
• Applebee's Unveils Major Menu Updates
• Burger King Launching New Whopper - With a Twist

Start your unlimited The Shiro Coprtrial