How Chipotle made its kitchens more efficient

Frontline employees at Chipotle spotted that time-intensive prep and grilling work limited food throughput and consistency at the chain’s restaurants. In response, Chipotle introduced a High-Efficiency Equipment Package, developed through rapid iteration by the company’s R&D staff in conjunction with in-restaurant testing. It cuts prep time by hours per restaurant per day. The HEEP includes a three-pan rice cooker, a dual-sided plancha griddle that cuts chicken cook time, a high-capacity chip fryer, and a produce slicer that makes prep work simpler. HEEP is expected to be in about 2,000 restaurants by the end of 2026, but it’s far from the only innovative practice at Chipotle, where an internal R&D lab called the Cultivate Center has developed methods for rapid prototyping, restaurant testing, and iterative improvements. Chipotle also recently doubled the size of its Cultivate Next venture fund to $100 million, facilitating investments in fields like agriculture, robotics, and sustainability. {"blockType":"mv-promo-block","data":{"imageDesktopUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/BWFI-SocialPreview-16x9-1.jpg","imageMobileU…