Last January, the iPhone was graced with one of its greatest applications yet (at least, for burrito lovers): a native Chipotle app, allowing users to order their meals online for easy pickup. But the joy was to be shortlived — within hours after appearing on the App Store, the Chipotle application was pulled, sparking The Case Of The Missing Burrito. Given the TechCrunch office’s love for Chipotle’s cheesy bundles of awesome, we followed the case closely, tracking down the developers of the app to learn what had caused its early demise only to be told we could expect it to return in around two weeks. Today, over seven months after vanishing without warning, Chipotle has finally made its way back to the iPhone. You can download it here.
The application works beautifully, allowing you to craft your burrito, tacos, and salad bowl with whatever toppings you want, which include four kinds of salsa, sour cream, cheese, and basically everything else you can get inside the restaurant. Adding a certain topping simply requires hitting a plus sign — I managed to build my favorite custom burrito in about 30 seconds. Once you’ve finished your order, you can pay for it using a Chipotle account that’s linked to your credit card. The system will also save your orders so you can quickly place them again in the future. Also notable is the app’s speed. Even on an iPhone 3G, the app is quite fast, without the noticeable lag times you’ll often find in other applications.
So what was the cause of the delay? A Chipotle spokesperson says that the original app was not working up to Chipotle’s satisfaction, and they decided not to re-launch the app until it was, also noting that there was “no concrete timeline for re-launch” (though the design firm behind the app previously told me they were hoping for a mere two week delay, which stretched to seven months). My guess is that while the app itself was ready, Chipotle’s backend was unable to cope with the large influx of incoming orders.
Pre-emptive strike: Chipotle is not owned by McDonalds.
http://www.busi...11/b4025088.htm
…and that’s why the food is delicious!
omnomnom
An interesting app for the yummy food lovers??? Undoubtedly,they will be the benefactors..
What is this ghey toolbar at the bottom of techcrunch? Bleeding everything you can for more money?
Haha, I was thinking the same thing. It’s not enough that they have a billion ads and put stories on their own pages now for better page view numbers (versus the entirety of a story on the front page), but they have whore their dignity out even more.
My gut tells me that the back-end issues are exactly what caused the delay. It used to be that when you placed an online order (and presumably an iPhone order), Chipotle would ask you to then phone the store to tell someone that they have an order waiting for them in a back room fax machine somewhere. That’s fine when you’re ordering for an office, but not when you’re ordering for yourself on the go through the iPhone.
Hopefully the new system doesn’t require the phone call, because otherwise the system works perfectly. When you pay with a credit card, you walk up to the register, pick up your bag, and take off. Nothing to sign, no line to wait in.
I’ve actually asked the company about this very issue (which I think is pretty ridiculous for an online ordering system). Will update as soon as I hear back.
Chipotle got back to me, they say you no longer have to call in. Hooray!
The app does not require you to call the store to confirm.
yeah I was wondering how smoothly the pickup process is. I don’t know how comfortable I’d be going to the front of the long line to pick up my order…
Most Chipotle’s have 2 registers, one for online/iphone orders, and the other for normal customers.
Kudos to Chipotle and their design team. I just downloaded the app, and it looks really sharp. The interface is clean and easy to use. And the location finder found my regular store in no time. I expect my burrito consumption is about to go up.
Seriously, you guys are located in downtown Palo Alto right? How do you eat Chipotle? You are basically in Mexico (at least from a historical perspective).
“cheesy bundles of awesome” – For Real? It is hard to believe anything after reading that line.
You are in the land of Delicious Burittos and Fantastic Tacos. If you are being paid to review a Chipotle App…Great. Otherwise, invest an afternoon or two in finding better Burritos!!!
I must have too much time on my hands today
wow…that bottom toolbar advertisement is SO ANNOYING.
I already DESPISE the LG enV Touch and I don’t even know anything about it.
@Arrington – c’mon man, you talk all this big game @SteveJobs about doing right by the customer and here you are sticking this in our face? Give me a break.
Chipotle is gonna kill your heart dude… 2600+ grams of sodium in a single burrito :s
http://www.mens...rstmexican.html
I guess if you ate that burrito every single day and never exercised or got off your couch you might one day have a heart attack as a result.
After you ride a bike five miles up a hill, your body will be glad to get 2600 grams of sodium… so it’s all perspective.
Hasta la vista, baby.
Oddly enough, it’s their tortilla that is the worst part of their burritos.
http://www.chip...leNutrition.pdf
The flour tortilla has 290 calories (80 cal from fat) and 670mg of sodium… making it virtually impossible to have a lite burrito once you add anything to it.
best app ever (but not for my waistline)
“Chipotle’s cheesy bundles of awesome”
Are you serious? come on techcrunch you’re better than that…and you’re in California. There are so many better burrito places that don’t serve you mass-produced junk with blah white rice and overcooked beans.
The iPhone app is pretty cool tho I must say.
I’m in Fresno, completely surrounded by awesome burrito places and I still ordered a burrito using this app for lunch. Sometimes I don’t want authenticity, sometimes cilantro lime rice is the only way to go and sometimes I don’t have any cash in my pockets and the taquerias don’t take cards.
It would be great if you could save order profiles; like setup your own value meals:
#1 Office Lunch
#2 Office Lunch; +food coma
#3 Arrington
#4 Hangover
#5 Date Night
So #1 might be your regular order. #2 If you have to write a really boring technology post and sort of want to veg out. #3 If the boss ever asks you to order him one too. #4 Obvious. #5 Get a life.
You can save entire orders for re-ordering, and you can give them whatever name you want.
+10, thank you!
Jason: Follow-up article on each TC employee’s preferred order. If you are light on Tech news, that is.
You can do half and half burritos with two kinds of meat?? I didn’t think my day could get any better when I first saw this app was re-released, but the hidden nugget in your screenshot was unexpected… Best Day Ever??
This just made my day!
This isn’t news unless you live in America or Toronto (in the American sector). Actually it isn’t news even if you DO live in those places. Great “tech” article.
This is one of the most awesome applications out there. I just wished they delivered.