The Chipotle Observation
March 2024
It was a Friday late afternoon, and I was hungry, looking for a place to get my early dinner before returning home. There are many food options on my way home but, since I try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, I decided to have a meal at the nearest Chipotle restaurant on my way home.
I made my order online 45 minutes before I stepped into the store, so I would have enough time to relax and look around. I arrived at the location and began observing the crew members working in the restaurant to determine the target of my observation.
The User
From the crew members working at Chipotle either serving food on the line, sauce preparation or on the grilling stations in the back, I decided to observe the cashier as my "user of interest" simply due to their versatility in adapting to a different environment.
The cashier’s activities changed based on the environment. It could either be the cash register, food line or the online ordering machine. When on the cash register, the user is responsible for packing the food in the paper bags, fetching any ordered sides/drinks and collecting payment from the customers. While not on the cash register, the user would help on the food line by taking orders from walk-in customers, packing the food, fetching additional food orders and collecting payment. When there were no more walk-in customers, the user was on the online ordering machine and began to fulfil all the online orders from start to finish and place the food orders on the “online orders” pick-up rack.
A Chipotle crew member fulfilling an order. Credits: Luke Sharrett - Bloomberg/Getty Images
I noticed that though versatile, the user faced problems with their responsibilities. For example, when the user helps in taking food orders on the line, online ordering and checkout queues were ignored. As the user is busy working on the cash register, the online orders would get backed up and, sometimes online customers or food delivery drivers would walk in and, the order wasn’t ready. When the user decides to fulfil the online orders, there would be a long checkout queue of customers and, both the user and customers were getting frustrated.
A Chipotle cashier taking a customer's payment. Credits: Bloomberg/Getty Images
The observation gave insight into the user’s environment and the activities involved while in it. Working as a crew member who operates the cash register, assisting on the food line and fulfilling online food orders could be frustrating to the user and, there are a few opportunities to be observed from this experience.
The Experience
I had a smooth experience at the establishment and, if I were to rate it, I’d give it an 8.5/10 for various positive and negative reasons. Starting with the positives: it was fast and convenient because I could place my order before arriving. The food was made perfectly to order, tasted good (as expected) and it was still fresh and warm when I picked it up. Additionally, the restaurant had a good ambience with lounge music playing in the background, the floor was sparkling and, the tables were clean and organised. Overall, they did great at maintaining a healthy eating environment.
A Chipotle restaurant maintaining a clean environment. Credits: Jaco General Contractor
As for the negatives, there were quite a few concerning online ordering and pick-up. As mentioned earlier, the user changed environments and activities. Meaning as a customer with an online order, it took a while before they noticed that my order was not ready and, I was already there to pick it up. The other thing is, they handed me my order without asking for any proof or confirmation, meaning anyone could easily walk in and take the wrong order or possibly steal someone else’s food.
Man picking up an online order from the Chipotle "Mobile Pick-ups" kiosk. Credits: Brandon Bell / Getty Images
The role of cashiers and their responsibility in handling online orders had an impact on my experience at Chipotle. Most customers can’t understand the amount of work that goes into the role and, it’s easy to be frustrated if expectations are unmet. It would have been easier to improve the experiences by creating systems that simplify checkout and online order pick-ups. The introduction of such interactions will alleviate the pressure experienced by the user when engaging in different activities at the job.
The Opportunities
My observation at Chipotle presented quite a few opportunities to be explored within the given environments to make for a smoother experience. In these observations, two problems occurred frequently, and the breakdown is described below based on priority.
Online orders and pick-up system: The problem with the online ordering is that most customers would show up only to realise that their orders were not ready. In some cases, the customers would not find their orders on the pick-up rack even after receiving a notification that their food was ready for collection. In the former observation, such a situation occurred because the user got busy with other activities and never had enough time to fulfil the order, or the customer arrived earlier than when their order was supposed to be ready. The latter observation could only have occurred because of one reason: a passerby stole the food since no one oversees the online order pick-up rack. In both observations, the result was that the user (cashier) had to redo the order and hand it to the customer.
Electronic checkout: As people finished placing their orders and headed over to the cash register, I noticed that most people spent more than a minute to pay for their order, which also contributed to an extended checkout queue. The problem is that the credit/debit card electronic checkout machine they use is not exactly familiar to most people, and in the case of senior customers, they would eventually opt to pay with cash instead. I observed the customers waiting in line get frustrated over how long it took to pay for their food, and sometimes the cashier would try to instruct them how to use the machine, but it did not seem to help.
The Research
I researched the evolution of the food industry as it interacts with new and innovative technology, especially after the impact of the COVID19 pandemic. In the paper "Online Food Shopping: A Conceptual Analysis for Research Propositions", the authors discuss various studies around online shopping and focused on four propositions which are discussed as follows:
Value Co-creation with Stakeholders: In this article, the authors talk about the concept of creating value to partners and investors since most stakeholders believe technology and restaurants do not match. Developing a better understanding of customer and business perspective without the involvement of commission rates proves to be the main point the authors are trying to push with this research. From the customers’ perspective, most of the things mentioned in online menus are often unavailable, discontinued, or the pictures do not match the product, and customers have accused this advertising method of some form of "click-baiting". In most cases, businesses fail to comprehend or find it challenging to deal with customers because they have not looked at the experience from their (customers’) perspective.
Technological Nature: The authors also bring forward a study involving the advancement of technology and how it has simplified the means of ordering food. Many restaurants have adopted online ordering via the web or mobile apps, but these systems could either be profitable or damaging to the business. As restaurants employ technology in taking customer orders, the author suggests caution in utilising third-party services in order collection and delivery services such as Yelp, Uber-Eats, Grubhub, and Doordash. The study also discusses the implications of ordering food online concerning control and accountability of a customer’s order. Some customers felt uneasy knowing that once the order is placed, they have to explicitly trust the restaurant and delivery in making sure the food arrives safely. Thus, due to the inability of a customer to control the food delivery process, any mishandling, delays, or theft that happens will result in the restaurant being held accountable. However, the gradual rise of online ordering platforms has been four reasons.
Customers do not need to worry about waiting in line.
Food can be picked up on the go.
Application of restaurant reward points.
Availability of entire (including hidden menu items) menus on portable devices, thus, providing more time in making decisions.
This paper suggests that the co-existence of technology within the food industry could improve the online shopping experience.
Man browsing the Uber Eats website to order food online. Credits: Charles Deluvio / Unsplash
New Business Models and Finance Systems: The third proposal explores the impact of COVID19 and how the pandemic has shaped the online food delivery service since then. The authors suggest three areas of future study for researchers and innovators to focus on:
The continuance of using delivery systems.
Factors affecting customers’ comfort in online purchasing.
Scrutiny on the practical development of payment systems.
In these three areas, the central theme is observing how regular the use of online ordering and delivery systems will be in the years to come, with the rapid growth of digital technology in attempts to mitigate the spread of virus contamination. Additionally, the introduction of advanced payment mechanisms improves the users’ convenience and experience. The establishment of proper finance handling systems is the blueprint to a healthy online service ecosystem.
Square app has contributed to card-free and online payment systems for both businesses and customers. Credits: Christian Koepke / Unsplash
Online-Offline Interactions and Transformations: Lastly, this paper discusses the gradual transformation of online and offline interactions between users and services. Studies were conducted to understand how customers can make their food purchases via physical stores or online services. The data collected from these studies suggested that many customers prefer being physically present in the stores and interacting with the food via their senses.
The main focus of these studies was to make future predictions on how online-based platforms can incorporate social interaction in their services. The conclusion of these studies came down to the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI), and machinery will be used to incorporate these much desired social roles. However, the authors point out that though AI and robots will help with efficiency, there should still be an interactive balance between humans and artificial/machinery systems. This interaction and transformation in the food business will eventually be the catalyst in determining the future advancement of online food services.
Closing Thoughts
The relationship between the research data and the user observation at Chipotle can be found within three of the four proposals made in the paper. These are; technological nature, business models and finance systems, and online-offline interactions and transformations. These proposals fit well with some of the problems observed in the overall food experience, whereas the most noticeable flaws are observed in the online ordering, pick-up system, and electronic checkout. The correlation between these two scenarios is discussed as follows:
In the process of food ordering and pick-up, there were a few instances when customers would arrive, and the food would either not be ready, or it would unfortunately, be stolen from the unmonitored pick-up station. The technological nature proposed in the research comes into play here by investigating various opportunities in giving the customers control over their orders from the moment they pay to when they receive their food. Chipotle has done a great job at this with their "Carside Pickup" as it provides drivers with detailed instructions on how to receive their orders. Similar processes could be established for in-store pickups.
A photo showcasing instructions given to drivers for their "Carside Pickup" at Chipotle. Credits: Chipotle Newsroom
Additionally, with the changes of how people interact post COVID19, the online-offline interactions and transformations proposal can also be applied here. Online ordering system appeals to customers simply because of their convenience, speed, and rewards, but the integration of any level of control in how their food is handled will be appreciated by the user. Some questions can be asked on how this process could be improved, such as;
How can having a designated area that requires special access for all online orders mitigate food theft?
How can AI machines be used to access food orders (in case of store pick-up) for user convenience?
How can incorporating a “tamper-proof” system give customers control in ensuring that their food is safe?
How can container designs be improved to make them easier for delivery drivers to handle efficiently, even when in a rush?
With the issue regarding electronic checkouts, as stated earlier, many people are not familiar with operating the payment machine. Trying to figure out how a credit/debit machine works eventually leads to long queues and takes away part of the “fast food” experience. In this scenario, the business model and finance systems proposed in the research can prove to be highly advantageous, especially in developing payment systems. The introduction of an advanced payment process will improve the overall checkout experience for the user by thinking of ways to make payment even more convenient. Consider asking the following questions:
Will the user prefer to use a physical or a digital card?
What if a user only picks up the food and the payment is handled differently?
How about introducing a subscription-based system?
Acknowledgment
Thanks to Prof. Joseph Wanka for reviewing this essay and providing feedback. No AI was used in the contents and writing of this essay.