Chipotle doesn’t want you to eat at his new restaurant

On Saturday, the chain opens its first-ever “digital-only” restaurant in Highland Falls, New York, near the West Point Military Academy. Unlike the traditional format, the dining room has disappeared and employees cannot take orders. Rather, customers can order pickup or delivery only through its app, website, or third-party apps like Uber Eats.

The new design aims to capture “the sounds, smells and sights of a traditional chipotle kitchen” with an open kitchen. But the focal point will be the shelves to accommodate more complete orders. There is also a small bench for people to wait for and there is a separate entrance for catering orders.

“With digital sales tripling year over year in the last quarter, consumers are demanding more digital access than ever before, so we are constantly exploring new ways to improve our customer experience,” said Curt Garner, chief technology officer of Chipotle, in a statement. .

The burrito chain chose this upstate New York location for its first time because of its “captive” consumer base near cadets who have requested Chipotle, but do not have access to a nearby .

The new design is two-fold for the company. It’s much smaller than a traditional restaurant, so the design can fit in inexpensively in more urban areas where real estate is more expensive. Starbucks (SBUX) rolled out a similar concept last year in New York City.

Chipotle’s version also eliminates problematic parts of its Covid-19-era restaurants, including indoor dining that isn’t allowed in some states in the United States. It also allows employees to stay safe without the need for face-to-face contact during the ordering process.

The design also adapts to a new reality for Chipotle (CMG). The company predicts that digital sales could exceed $ 2.5 billion by the end of the year, more than double the level of last year. Online orders have risen sharply in other restaurants as people prefer to limit their contact with others.