Hiring workers has long been one of the biggest challenges for restaurant chains, especially during busy seasons when thousands of new employees are needed in a matter of weeks. To speed up the process, Chipotle has turned to artificial intelligence—and the company says the technology is already making a noticeable difference.
Meet “Ava Cado”
Chipotle introduced an AI-powered virtual hiring assistant called Ava Cado, developed in partnership with recruiting technology company Paradox. Rather than replacing hiring managers, the conversational AI helps automate many of the time-consuming administrative tasks that slow down recruiting.
Applicants can chat with Ava Cado online to ask questions about working at Chipotle, submit basic information, schedule interviews, and even receive job offers once a hiring manager approves the candidate. The assistant is also available in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, and German.
Cutting hiring time by two-thirds
Since announcing the release of the AI hiring assistant in late 2024 (leave it to Chipotle to be one step ahead of everyone), the results have been significant. According to Chipotle, the average time from a candidate submitting an application to starting work has dropped from 12 days to just four days.
Because Ava Cado is available 24 hours a day, roughly 30% of interview scheduling now happens after normal business hours, allowing applicants to move through the hiring process more quickly.
Freeing managers to focus on restaurants
Chipotle executives say the goal isn’t to replace people with AI, but to reduce paperwork so restaurant managers can spend more time coaching employees and serving customers. The company says the hours saved through automation have been reinvested into restaurant operations rather than eliminating jobs.
The technology comes as Chipotle continues pursuing ambitious growth plans, with a long-term goal of operating 7,000 restaurants across North America. Faster hiring is expected to play a key role in staffing those new locations, particularly during the chain’s annual “burrito season,” when demand for workers spikes. (“Burrito Season” is March-May, in case you’re curious.)
As more restaurant companies explore AI-powered recruiting, Chipotle’s experience offers a glimpse at how artificial intelligence could reshape hiring while keeping human managers in charge of the final decision.
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