Chipotle spices up mobile, social ordering

Chipotle Mexican Grill is introducing enhancements to its digital ordering including a new Facebook Messenger bot.

Beginning Monday, June 22, the fast-casual restaurant chain is rolling out Pepper, a concierge bot for the Facebook Messenger app. Customers can visit Chipotle’s Facebook page or the Chipotle page on the Facebook app and select the “Message Us” option. 

Pepper will ask for the customer’s location to find the closest Chipotle restaurant. Next, the customer will be guided through the ordering experience, which mirrors the in-restaurant process, allowing fans to completely customize meals including ingredient quantities and sides. Customers will also have the option to use natural language to describe their order to Pepper. 

Finally, customers will select a payment option. New customers can create an account or checkout as a guest, while existing U.S. customers can login to their Chipotle Rewards account to gain access to their saved payment info and redeem rewards. Orders will be fulfilled via mobile pickup or delivery.

Chipotle has also launched a group ordering feature on its e-commerce site. Customers can share a group order link, which allows multiple people to participate in the ordering process simultaneously. The host handles checkout, and all participants can digitally track the order via Chipotle.com.

And starting Thursday, June 19, Chipotle will make its app and site available as a donation platform. Using a new technology feature, customers will be able to round up their bill to the next highest dollar amount at checkout to donate to organizations advocating against issues like systemic racism and inequality, beginning with the National Urban League in June.

Furthermore, Chipotle has introduced its mobile app in Canada. Now Canadian customers can place orders via the app or the retailer’s Canadian e-commerce site, as well as through the DoorDash and Uber Eats on-demand delivery platforms.

“We’re always working to enhance and optimize our digital capabilities and provide guests with a seamless ordering experience,” said Curt Garner, CTO, Chipotle. “It is critical that we meet customers where they are spending time online and give guests ordering options that best fit their needs.”