Chipotle launches ‘different twist’ at another location after chain decides to make ‘lane’ change to 1,000 stores

CHIPOTLE diners can get their food without getting out of their cars at select stores through a special service.

Fast food just got a little faster with the Chipotlane.

Customers can get their digital pick-up orders through the drive-thru lane.

There are 811 Chipotle locations with Chipotlanes, but the company hopes to surpass 1,000 this year.

Chipotle has 3,437 locations nationwide and will likely open between 228 and 252 Chipotlane stores this year, according to Restaurant Dive.

One location opened in Rock Hill, South Carolina, which locals say has a "slightly different twist" to its design.

"They did a beautiful job on this store. It complements the area," wrote one person on Facebook.

"Drove past this spot a few weeks ago. I’m kinda digging that these restaurants have gotten to the point of looking like they can be delivered to pad sites like prefab storage container cubes," commented another.

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

“[We] continue to see very strong results with Chipotlanes driving higher new restaurant productivity, margins, and returns,” said CEO Brian Niccol during a February earnings call.

Jack Hartung, Chipotle’s CFO, said high interest rates and delays with permits, inspections, and utility installations have slowed down construction.

“If we get any break in terms of timelines with developers moving a little bit faster with local authorities in terms of utilities, in terms of permitting, if that was a little bit faster, we actually can get to that clip even a little sooner,” Hartung said.

“But we built in the exact same extended timeline that we’re seeing today with the current very robust inventory. And that will get us, if not all the way, very close to that 10% figure.”

PORTION PANIC

Chipotle came under fire by fans who said the store was skimping out on meal ingredients.

Several customers said they got barely full bowls and burritos and that filming employees forced them to add more scoops of meat and toppings.

"People on social media have been dragging Chipotle so hard that allegedly a memo was sent out to Chipotle employees, instructing them to fill up the bowls as much as possible if someone has their phone out or is filming while ordering," wrote business and investment influencer, Alex Friedman, on X.

He said the company doesn't want "bad publicity or reviews," so employees will scoop out more if they're being filmed.

What is the viral "Chipotle phone method"?

Videos of Chipotle customers filming workers making their orders have been flooding social media.

Chipotle allegedly sent a memo to employees telling them to fill up burrito bowls to the brim when a customer is filming while ordering, according to business and investment influencer Alex Friedman on X.

Videos have been shared across platforms of customers filming their orders as workers pile their bowls high with their chosen options.

There have been some extreme cases where customers brought in cameras, lighting, and sound equipment to film workers and get the most food in their bowls.

Niccol responded to the trend and said the situation was crazy to him because Chipotle's portions have always been generous.

"We always want to give people big portions that get them excited about the food," he told Fortune.

"If you want to double the amount of meat, you gotta pay for it, but our goal is to get people really excited about what I believe is really delicious food.

"It actually, kind of, really bums me out when people, frankly, do this videoing thing...It’s a little rude to our team members, and, you know, our team members, their desire is to give our customer a great experience."

In other fast food news, Burger King's president addressed fears of dynamic pricing after a "technical issue."

McDonald's announced a line of dipping sauces inspired by a popular show.