Chipotle Offers Free Delivery Through March

Chipotle hopes the new delivery options will make life easier for its guests during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Need to Know

  • Chipotle will be offering free delivery on all web and mobile orders over $10 from March 15th through March 31st. 
  • Delivery orders are customized and prepared via Chipotle’s Delivery Kitchen by a special team using dedicated ingredients. 
  • To limit direct content Chipotle customers are able to leave special instructions for delivery drivers. Additionally, all orders are now being packaged with a new tamper-evident packaging seal to help ensure food is untouched during delivery. 
  • In addition to free delivery, Chipotle also announced a new delivery tracker that provides step-by-step real-time updates so customers know when to expect their meals to arrive. 

Analysis 

The quick-service restaurant chain hopes its new free delivery options will make life easier for its growing number of digital customers. With the rapid spreading of the coronavirus people around the globe being told to avoid large crowds and stay in whenever possible, meaning restaurants like Chipotle should expect to see a surge in delivery and takeout orders. 

Almost one-fifth of all Chipotle sales are now digital and from March 15th – March 30th all it’s digital customers that place orders over $10 will now receive free delivery. All delivery orders are created and customized in Chipotle’s Delivery Kitchen by a special team and a dedicated ingredient line. 

“Our Delivery Kitchen is like a Chipotle within a Chipotle, preparing real, fresh, personalized bowls and burritos solely for digital guests,” Chris Brandt, Chipotle CMO said in the release. “Chipotle is the first brand to scale this concept nationally with over 2,500 restaurants featuring the unique set-up for digital orders, and our March Free Delivery offer is the perfect opportunity to experience the Delivery Kitchen.”

Although the virus was not mentioned in its announcement, Chipotle is doing what it can to limit direct contact and generally make it easier for its customers. A new delivery tracker will provide step-by-step real-time delivery updates allowing its customers to know exactly when its order will arrive. 

Customers are also able to leave special instructions for delivery drivers in the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com site. All take out orders will also feature a new, tamper-evident packaging seal to help ensure food is untouched during delivery. Customers opting to pick up orders are able to take advantage of Chipotlanes at participating locations and pick up their mobile orders without having to leave their cars. 

Over the past three years, digital orders have quadrupled for Chipotle and exceeded $1 billion for fiscal 2019.