Chipotle just announced a partnership with DoorDash, through which it will bring delivery services to 1,500 of its locations 2,441 locations.
The move is Chipotle’s largest delivery effort to date. It comes on the heels of CEO Brian Niccol (formerly of Taco Bell) joining the company, and after a rocky few years that included such gems as e. coli and norovirus outbreaks, lawsuits, and a 95 percent drop in profits.
It might seem weird that a brand concerned with food integrity as well as bouncing back from a couple health scares would enlist the help of someone from one of America’s least-healthy chains. But Niccol, who succeeded founder Steve Ells at the beginning of March, is credited with turning the Taco Bell image around through menu and marketing innovations, and ultimately making it more appealing.
He’s aiming to replicate that success at Chipotle. Offering delivery should certainly help, since over half of millennials rate convenience as a top driver when buying food, and it doesn’t get more convenient than having quick-service grub delivered to your home or office.
Delivery, anyway, is increasingly becoming one of the most important aspects of a food-service business. The food delivery market is expected to hit $76 billion in 2022, and many consider delivery services a “must-have” rather than “nice to have” for restaurants of all types.
DoorDash has similar partnerships with Dunkin’ Donuts, Wendy’s, and Jack in the Box, among many others. This latest pairing follows DoorDash’s announcement in March that the company has raised $355 million in Series D financing and plans to “triple [its] geographic footprint from 600 to 1,600 cities.” DoorDash’s system integrates directly with restaurants’ POS systems, which creates inherently speedier service.
To celebrate the DoorDash-Chipotle launch, the two will offer free delivery on orders of $10 and up placed via the DoorDash app, effective now through May 6, which means you can celebrate Cinco de Mayo by ordering tons of fake Mexican food by using the code “GETCHIPOTLE.”
DoorDash CEO Tony Xu will join TheSpoon’s Smart Kitchen Summit in Europe on June 11 and 12. Head over to Dublin to see him and other leaders in the food business space.
