DENVER – Chipotle Mexican Grill announced the rollout of its Smarter Pickup Times technology to its locations that offer digital ordering. The technology allows customers who order digitally to experience a shorter and more accurate pickup time, and the ability to reserve a future pickup time. The technology enhances all forms of digital ordering, including web ordering (order.chipotle.com) and the mobile ordering apps for iOS and Android.

Chipotle extensively tested the Smarter Pickup Times system and says that it produced a reduction of wait times for digital orders by as much as 50%, and an increase in the total number of digital orders to record levels.

“Most people don’t know that nearly every Chipotle has an extra make-line in the back of the restaurant where orders can be prepared without disrupting service on the main line,” said Mark Crumpacker, chief marketing and development officer at Chipotle, in a press release.

Chipotle’s technology monitors digital order capacity to ensure that each restaurant can effectively manage the digital orders flowing into the second make-line. The company is also in the process of rolling out an enhanced version of this second make-line that will greatly improve ergonomics for the teams staffing the line, and allow for even greater order volume and accuracy.

“We have been evaluating all of our digital offerings with an eye toward removing friction,” explained Curt Garner, chief information officer at Chipotle. “That started with a redesign of our website to make it responsive to whatever device a customer is using, followed by online catering and additional out-of-store payment options.”

Chipotle is currently running a marketing campaign to drive digital orders that includes in-store promotions, social media advertising, search optimization and digital advertising. Moving forward, nearly all the company’s digital advertising will link customers directly to digital ordering.