Chipotle introduces guacamole-making robots in California.

Chipotle has moved its automated bowl and salad maker and avocado processor from its test kitchen to several locations in California.

The network announced the rollout on Monday and said it would rely on feedback to decide whether the technology would be rolled out more widely.

Both locations are in California, where all fast-food chains must pay workers $20 an hour, with even bigger raises on the horizon. Chipotle said in a statement that it was testing the technology to find efficiencies and “help our restaurant associates continue to provide great hospitality to our guests.”

Many restaurant chains have introduced technologies in recent years that reduce the need for cashiers, such as self-service kiosks. Other California chains, Sweetgreen and Jack-in-the-Box, have also invested in private tech startups, with the vision of burgers, fries and salad bowls largely made by robots.

But fast-food workers typically also perform other tasks, such as greeting customers, sweeping the floor and retrieving supplies from the backroom — tasks that most robots currently cannot handle.

Chipotle, which had nearly $9.9 billion in revenue last year, did not link the automation to the state’s wage increase. The company said employees who work with the automated bowl and salad maker will continue to make burritos and tacos, add toppings and monitor the quality of the machines.

The automated bowl and salad machine, which Chipotle calls an “extended production line,” automatically dispenses rice, corn, lettuce and other ingredients into bowls under the counter. Chipotle says 65% of all digital orders are bowls and salads.

“This technology could be a game-changer, allowing Chipotle to outpace its competition in automation,” BTIG analyst Peter Saleh said in a July 25 note to investors, referring to the automated salad and bowl maker.

Chipotle said it has invested in the technology through a $100 million venture capital fund, to which it added $50 million in February. The fund has a stake in Hyphen, a San Jose-based startup founded in 2020 behind Chipotle’s automated bowl and salad maker, which operates at a Corona Del Mar store.

Sweetgreen has already brought a similar automated bowl-making machine to market, opening “Infinity Kitchens” in several locations, including California.

Chipotle’s “autocado” technology, which cuts, pits and peels avocados before a worker mashes them into guacamole, is already deployed at its Huntington Beach location, it said. The machine, made by Vebu, a Los Angeles-based startup founded in 2022, processes avocados in 26 seconds. Chipotle says it goes through more than 5 million cases of avocados a year.

Chipotle previously tested “Chippy,” an automated system that produces seasoned tortilla chips. But the company said the cleaning and setup costs offset much of the labor savings.

Fast-food chains now employ more workers in California than in any other state. After a new $20-an-hour minimum wage went into effect April 1, Chipotle raised prices by 7% in the state, executives said in calls with investors earlier this year.

By 2025, the California Fast Food Workers Union is looking to raise the minimum wage from $20 to $20.70 to account for inflation. Wednesday’s meeting of the Fast Food Workers Council heard public comment from many franchisees who urged the council to refrain from further increases.