Alexa, I'm Hungry: Chipotle's New System Is the Latest in Voice Ordering Tech

Voice ordering in the QSR and fast casual segment isn’t going anywhere. As Chipotle continues to prioritize the latest technology trends, the brand is rolling out an innovative reordering feature with the help of Amazon Alexa.

To access this feature, customers will need to download the Alexa app, enable the Chipotle skill, link it to a Chipotle profile and tell Alexa to reorder a pre-set meal. The fast casual chain will also give away Amazon Echo Dots to existing Chipotle Rewards members named Alexa.

The company has also rolled out its own AI voice assistants to all 2,500 restaurants, which will allow customers to pay ahead and skip the line and pick up or drive through a Chipotlane to collect the order.

As Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant gain popularity, consumers are demanding the same level of easy, voice-controlled ordering from their fast-food brands. Chains like Sonic, Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut and Wingstop currently offer voice ordering services and Wendy's is looking into the feature. A survey from MDR Group and Progressive Business Insights found that 20% of consumers are "extremely interested" while 19% are "very interested” in using voice ordering to order food from restaurants.

In addition to streamlined operations, voice ordering can allow for better accessibility for people with vision impairments who wouldn't need to use a website, an area of contention in the industry since ADA rules are unclear. Once the system is up and going, it also takes a few seconds to order and doesn’t require customers to log into accounts to reorder a customer's standard meal.

Chipotle’s addition of voice ordering is part of Chipotle's larger strategy to boost digital sales, which is approaching $1 billion in sales this year. As customers demand easier ordering, Chipotle's new partnership with Amazon Alexa is set to give them what they want.