Imagine this: you’re sitting in your backyard on a warm afternoon, craving a burrito or maybe a bowl of fresh guacamole from Chipotle. Instead of getting in your car or waiting for a driver to show up, you simply open an app, place your order, and within minutes, a quiet drone is hovering over your yard, gently lowering your food right into your hands. Sounds futuristic, right? Well, it’s happening right now in Rowlett, a Dallas suburb.
Chipotle Mexican Grill, the fast-casual chain loved for its giant burritos and fresh toppings, has teamed up with Zipline, a company that has become famous for its successful drone delivery service. Together, they’ve launched something called “Zipotle,” and it’s giving people in Texas a taste of the future of food delivery.
How It Works
Getting Chipotle through Zipotle is surprisingly easy. All you need to do is download the Zipline app, available on both Apple and Android devices. Once you have it, you can browse the full Chipotle menu—yes, everything is included. Burritos, tacos, bowls, quesadillas, salads, and all the extras are there.
After you place your order, the Chipotle team prepares it just like they would for any other customer. But instead of handing it off to a driver, they place it in what’s called a “Zipping Point.” This is a special pickup station designed for Zipline’s drones, which are known as “Zips.”
From there, the magic begins. The drone swoops in, collects your food, and flies directly to your chosen delivery spot. Whether it’s your backyard, a nearby park, or even a picnic table, the drone hovers 300 feet above the ground and lowers the meal with precision. It’s smooth, accurate, and feels like something you’d expect to see in a sci-fi movie.
The Drones Behind the Service
These drones aren’t just cool to watch—they’re also designed with the environment and safety in mind. Each drone is fully electric and produces zero emissions, which aligns nicely with Chipotle’s sustainability goals.
Right now, each Zip can carry up to 5.5 pounds of food. That’s more than enough for a couple of burritos, chips, salsa, and maybe even a drink. Zipline has plans to upgrade this capacity to 8 pounds soon, which means even bigger family orders could be delivered without a problem.
The drones are also built tough. They can handle rain, wind, and even the scorching Texas heat. Inside, special insulation keeps your food hot and fresh until it lands in your hands. And if you’re worried about safety, don’t be. The drones are programmed to avoid obstacles like trees, rooftops, and power lines. In other words, your burrito isn’t going to crash land—it’ll arrive safely and securely.
When and Where You Can Use It
At the moment, Zipotle is only available in Rowlett, near the Chipotle at 3109 Lakeview Parkway. Delivery hours run from noon to 8 p.m., but Zipline has plans to extend those hours until 10 p.m. soon.
For now, only a small group of Zipline users are able to test the service. But this is just the beginning. A larger rollout is expected in the coming weeks, which means more people in the Dallas area will soon be able to enjoy drone-delivered Chipotle.
Why Chipotle Chose Zipline
Chipotle has always been about fresh ingredients and fast service, so partnering with Zipline was a natural step forward. Curt Garner, Chipotle’s President and Chief Strategy and Technology Officer, says the new service helps solve a big problem with traditional food delivery.
“Zipotle allows customers to enjoy Chipotle’s food in places traditional delivery struggles to reach, like backyards or parks,” Garner explains. “It’s a practical solution that keeps the food quality intact and cuts delivery times.”
This means no more worrying about soggy burritos or cold tacos when your driver gets stuck in traffic. The drones don’t deal with traffic at all. They take the fastest route possible—straight through the sky.
Zipline’s Proven Track Record
If you’re wondering whether this is just a fun gimmick, it’s not. Zipline has been around for years and has already proven itself in some of the most important deliveries imaginable. Since 2016, the company has been flying medical supplies, including blood and medicines, to rural hospitals in countries like Rwanda.
To date, Zipline has logged over 100 million commercial miles and completed more than 1.6 million deliveries. That kind of experience shows they know how to handle logistics safely and effectively. Partnering with Chipotle just gives them another way to show off their technology, this time in a way that directly impacts everyday life.
The Future of Food Delivery
Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, Zipline’s CEO and co-founder, says the experience of ordering through Zipotle feels almost magical. “Tapping a button and watching food ‘appear’ minutes later is like something out of a sci-fi novel,” he says. But this isn’t just for fun—he sees it as the future of how we’ll get food and other products.
For families in Dallas, it means meals can arrive faster than a car-based delivery and with the added excitement of seeing a drone land nearby. Instead of waiting 30 to 40 minutes for food, you might get it in just 10 or 15.
What It Costs
Now you’re probably wondering about the price. Surprisingly, it’s not much more than a regular delivery. The fee is $2.99 plus a 15% service charge, which is capped at $6. That’s competitive with what you’d pay for other delivery apps. The big difference here is speed and reliability—and of course, the fun factor of a drone dropping your burrito from the sky.
A Look Ahead
Right now, Zipotle is just getting started. But if it proves successful in Rowlett, there’s a good chance the service could expand to more cities across Texas and eventually to other states.
Imagine being able to order Chipotle while hanging out at the beach, or while enjoying a hike in the mountains, and having it delivered straight to where you are. That’s the kind of future Zipline is working toward, and Chipotle is helping to make it happen.
Why This Matters
Drone delivery isn’t just about convenience. It also has bigger implications for the way we live. By using electric drones, companies can cut down on emissions caused by cars and motorcycles used for delivery. This helps reduce traffic, lower pollution, and create a more sustainable way of moving goods around.
For Chipotle, it’s also about brand innovation. The company has always tried to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to customer experience, and Zipotle is another example of that. It shows that they’re willing to experiment with new technologies to make dining easier and more enjoyable.
Final Thoughts
It might take some time before drone delivery becomes as common as ordering through Uber Eats or DoorDash, but the future is clearly heading in this direction. What Chipotle and Zipline are doing in Rowlett is just the beginning.
For now, if you live in the Dallas area and happen to be one of the lucky people in the test group, you can sit back, relax, and let a drone bring dinner straight to you. For the rest of us, it’s only a matter of time before the buzz of drones delivering burritos becomes part of everyday life.
Source: Chipotle
