Posted on 08/21/2025 10:59:20 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Megan Cerullo Reporter, MoneyWatch Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting. Read Full Bio Edited By Updated on: August 21, 2025 / 11:48 AM CDT / CBS News
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.
Here's how it works 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.
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The video player is currently playing an ad. 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.
That’s just what I want. An order of tacos, flying along in the car exhaust, pollen, atomized bird crap, dust etc... then have it drop down on my back porch.
Sickening.
No... you do not have the right to shoot down things over your property. And where did you get that 1000 foot concept? In the US, drones are supposed to stay under 400 feet.
And no... your private property does not include “airspace”.
>>And no... your private property does not include “airspace”.
You are wrong.
The Supreme Court case United States v. Causby (1946) established that a property owner has rights to the airspace directly above their land, and that low-flying aircraft, such as military bombers flying at 85 feet, can constitute a trespass if they substantially interfere with the property owner’s enjoyment.
I wonder if the altitude eliminates the E Coli
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