Chipotle Ups Its Dual-Sided Plancha Count, Tests Slicer

In its Q3 2024 earnings call, Chipotle offered an update on several back-of-house initiatives, all aimed at improving the prep and cooking process, and driving a better experience for employees.

Scott Boatwright, interim CEO at Chipotle, says the brand continues to roll out what he calls a dual-sided plancha, which will be in 74 restaurants by the end of this month. “And as part of the stage gate process, we are now evaluating and implementing the dual-sided plancha into new restaurant openings, as well as retrofitting existing restaurants,” Boatwright says. The equipment, which started out in about 10 restaurants, cooks chicken and beef in about half the time of a traditional plancha.

Chipotle also has tested a produce slicer over the past year. Slicing and dicing vegetables, like jalapenos and bell peppers, is one of the more time-consuming and repetitive tasks, Boatwright says. “It would be an understatement to say our teams are excited about this new tool,” he says. “The new produce slicer drives improved efficiency, which will allow our teams to complete the prep process on time in every restaurant, resulting in better deployment at peak and better throughput. And it also improves our culinary by delivering consistent cut sizes.”

Chipotle, a 3,500-plus unit brand, expects all restaurants to have the new produce slicer by next summer.

In September, Chipotle started testing the Autocado and Augmented Makeline in restaurants, and Boatwright addressed these initiatives, too, saying they could provide big unlocks for the brand in the future.