CHIPOTLE TO OPEN FIRST CHIPOTLANE DIGITAL KITCHEN

The new format will exclusively fulfill digital orders for pick up or delivery

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Dec 16, 2021, 08:05 ET

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) today announced its first Chipotlane Digital Kitchen restaurant in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The new prototype offers a Chipotlane and walk-up window for efficient digital order pickup. Located at 994 Graham Road in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, the restaurant is scheduled to open later this month.

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Chipotlane Digital Kitchens offers no inside guest access. The first Chipotlane Digital Kitchen in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio includes patio seating for guests to enjoy their meals outside.

Chipotle’s latest digital-only restaurant prototype offers a Chipotlane and walk-up window for efficient digital order pickup.

Chipotle’s second digital-only restaurant prototype serves guests who order ahead on the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com, and marketplace partners.

Chipotlane Digital Kitchen Design

The Chipotlane Digital Kitchen footprint is smaller than a traditional Chipotlane, with no dining room access for guests or a front line. The kitchen is equipped with a make line dedicated to digital orders placed through the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com, as well as marketplace partners. Guests and delivery drivers can collect their digital orders through the Chipotlane drive-thru or walk-up window. The new restaurant will also offer patio seating for guests to enjoy their meals.

"Chipotlanes are a key growth strategy for the brand," said Tabassum Zalotrawala, Chief Development Officer, Chipotle. "Our portfolio of approximately 300 Chipotlanes perform with the highest margins across the board, so we continue to evolve our restaurant design with formats such as the Chipotlane Digital Kitchen to best suit our growing digital business."

Chipotlane Performance and Growth

Since launching in early 2018, the Chipotlane format continues to enhance access, ease and satisfaction for guests while demonstrating strong performance. New restaurants featuring a Chipotlane open with approximately 15% higher sales compared to non-Chipotlanes opened during the same period.

With nearly 3,000 restaurants today and a long-term goal of having 6,000 locations in North America, Chipotle is continuing to learn and refine its approach to accelerate its Chipotlane portfolio judiciously. To date, Chipotle has reconfigured 12 of its existing restaurants to feature the digital order pickup lane, with these locations seeing an increase in sales as more customers choose this convenient access channel.

ABOUT CHIPOTLE
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) is Cultivating A Better World by serving responsibly sourced, classically-cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Chipotle had nearly 2,900 restaurants as of September 30, 2021, in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany and is the only restaurant company of its size that owns and operates all its restaurants. Chipotle is ranked on the Fortune 500 and is recognized on the 2021 lists for Forbes' America's Best Employers and Fortune's Most Admired Companies. With nearly 95,000 employees passionate about providing a great guest experience, Chipotle is a longtime leader and innovator in the food industry. Chipotle is committed to making its food more accessible to everyone while continuing to be a brand with a demonstrated purpose as it leads the way in digital, technology and sustainable business practices. For more information or to place an order online, WWW.CHIPOTLE.COM.

SOURCE Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.