Pandemic takeout? New Boise restaurant opens with drive-thru lane for online order pickup

A ubiquitous restaurant chain opening its fifth Treasure Valley store isn’t exactly earth-shattering news.

But Chipotle Mexican Grill added a little hot sauce to its newest location at 702 E. Boise Ave.

Opened Dec. 21, it’s Chipotle’s first Boise-area restaurant with a “Chipotlane” — an online-order drive-thru lane that lets customers pick up food without exiting their vehicles.

Customize a burrito or salad on your phone or computer, paying in advance. Pull into the Chipotlane. Then grab the grub with maximum efficiency — and minimal anxiety about pandemic safety. With omicron’s spread on many minds, Chipotle couldn’t have timed a digital-order pickup window better.

The restaurant is open from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. And, by the way, they’re hiring. That goes for pretty much everywhere, a Chipotle press release wants you to know.

While ordering, Idaho customers can support “The Farmlink Project, a nonprofit that connects farms with food banks to feed those in need while supporting essential jobs,” according to the release. All you have to do is round up your tab to the next dollar using the Round Up for Real Change feature in the Chipotle app or on the website.

Boise’s Chipotlane is part of a growing industry trend. Digital restaurant sales have erupted during the pandemic. Increasingly, chains are focusing on drive-thru business and streamlining the process.

This story was originally published December 23, 2021 at 4:00 AM.