Steve Ells, Chipotle’s founder, opened a vegan restaurant called Kernel in New York City in 2024, featuring a large robotic arm in the kitchen. However, within a year, Ells closed Kernel and pivoted to a traditional sandwich shop called Counter Service, serving meat and abandoning the robotics concept.
The shift highlights challenges with implementing robotics in restaurants, including logistics, maintenance, employee training, safety concerns, and issues with installing sensitive equipment in older buildings. The robotic appearance may have also been off-putting to customers. Ells admitted the original concept was too “cold” and needed “warming up.” The pivot to a meat-based menu reflects market realities, as vegan-only establishments struggle to attract broad audiences despite growing interest in plant-based options. Ultimately, Ells is betting on food quality over technological novelty for his new venture’s success.
Source: Less Robots, More Meat: Chipotle Founder’s Big Pivot