Cava teams up with Chipotle in the race to automate restaurant operations
Fast-Casual Restaurants Embrace Automation: Cava and Chipotle Invest in Hyphen's AI-Driven Robotic Makeline Technology
In a move to transform fast-casual dining, Cava and Chipotle have announced a collaboration with Hyphen, a tech firm that has developed an augmented makeline. This innovative technology, which combines human intervention with automation, aims to streamline kitchen operations and enhance the guest experience.
The partnership will see Hyphen's AI-driven robotic makeline technology integrated into Cava's restaurants, marking the chain's first major automation investment. Chipotle, having previously invested $15 million in Hyphen last year, continues to support the tech firm's growth. Together, they are injecting $25 million to scale and deploy Hyphen’s technology across their restaurants.
The augmented makeline, essentially two makelines in one, is designed to handle high-volume digital orders. A second make line, dedicated to digital pick-up and delivery, will operate parallel to manual assembly lines for dine-in customers. This setup allows for increased efficiency and output during peak digital ordering periods, without expanding kitchen space or doubling labor costs.
The technology is expected to bring significant benefits. It could substantially reduce labor costs and ingredient waste, improve order accuracy and speed, and enhance operational resilience. By automating repetitive tasks, the technology could enable a single operator to oversee what traditionally required multiple staff members. This precision could also reduce ingredient variance from the current industry norm of ±15% to ±2%, supporting better inventory control and environmental sustainability.
Moreover, the hybrid human-plus-automation design allows partial operation even if some system components fail, avoiding full kitchen shutdowns during service. This feature is particularly valuable in addressing the ongoing labor shortages and managing growing digital order volumes.
Cava's CEO, David Schulman, is an advocate for technology that enhances the human experience. He believes that the collaboration will free workers on the back-of-the-house lines so they can focus on in-restaurant hospitality. The goal is to create a seamless integration of technology and human interaction, aligning with Cava and Chipotle's vision that automation should enhance rather than replace the human element in fast-casual dining.
Cava plans to start testing the automated makelines in coming quarters. The $25 million in capital will be used to accelerate the manufacturing and deployment of the automated makelines by partner Re:Build Manufacturing. Hyphen aims to scale manufacturing, support their growing customer base, and continue innovating with the new investments.
The collaboration between Cava, Chipotle, and Hyphen is set to revolutionise fast-casual restaurant operations. By leveraging Hyphen’s robotic makeline technology, the partners aim to address labour shortages, manage growing digital order volumes, optimise kitchen operations, and improve food quality and sustainability in fast-casual restaurants.
This strategic shift is not only significant for Cava but also for the fast-casual dining industry as a whole. Cava and Chipotle view themselves as "best in breed, like-minded brands," focusing on different cuisines but aiming to maintain a human connection in their automation efforts. As the industry continues to evolve, it's clear that automation will play a crucial role in shaping the future of fast-casual dining.
[1] https://www.fooddive.com/news/chipotle-invests-in-hyphen-to-boost-digital-order-accuracy/630983/ [2] https://www.foodserviceequipmentjournal.com/news/hyphen-raises-25-million-for-automated-kitchen-technology/ [3] https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/technology/chipotle-invests-15-million-hyphen-ai-driven-kitchen-automation-technology [4] https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/technology/cava-invests-10-million-hyphen-ai-driven-kitchen-automation-technology [5] https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/news/chipotle-cava-team-up-hyphen-kitchen-automation-tech-boost-digital-order-accuracy
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