Chipotle uses Zipline drone delivery to fly orders to customers

If you look up at the sky in Texas and see what could be a flying burrito, you may not be imagining things: Chipotle on Thursday launched an autonomous aerial delivery service for digital orders in the Dallas area.

Through a partnership with Zipline, a drone delivery and logistics provider, Chipotle is introducing Zipotle, new delivery service for its customers. With Zipotle, small aircrafts called Zips can deliver digital orders directly to customers' homes in just a few minutes, Chipotle said in an announcement on Thursday.

Initially, just "a small number" of customers will be able to experience Zipotle, according to Chipotle, which said that it would expand the service in the coming weeks.

The burrito chain is touting Zipotle as a superior delivery service that helps customers get their food faster, so that it stays fresh. Everything on Chipotle's menu is available for drone delivery in the Dallas area, the company added. Orders for Zipotle delivery need to be placed through the Zipline app, available through the Apple and Android app stores.

Once a customer places an order, a Chipotle worker then packs it and places it at a Zipping Point where a Zip drone picks up the order and delivers it to the customer. When the autonomous aircraft arrives at a customer's home, it hovers about 300 feet in the air while lowering and "gently" placing the order on the ground, the company states.

Chipotle said the first location to offer Zipotle delivery is at 3109 Lakeview Pkwy, in Rowlett, a suburb in the eastern part of Dallas.

"Zipotle is a quick and convenient source of delivery that lets guests enjoy our real food from places that are traditionally challenging to serve, including backyards and public parks," Curt Garner, president and chief strategy and technology officer at Chipotle said in the announcement.

"With Zipline, you tap a button, and minutes later food magically appears — hot, fresh, and ultra-fast," Zipline CEO and co-founder Rinaudo Cliffton said in the same announcement. "What once felt like science fiction is soon going to become totally normal," he added.

For now, each autonomous aircraft can carry orders of up to 5.5 pounds in weight. That will increase eventually to 8 pounds, Chipotle said.

Last year, Chipotle was criticized by some customers who alleged certain restaurants were skimping on portions. The company initially denied the claims, before then CEO Brian Niccol acknowledged that about 10% of Chipotle's 3,500 locations had indeed been underserving customers.