In 2016, we built the Chipotle Development Lab, an innovation and prototyping workshop in Brooklyn. Here, a team of professional problem solvers build, test and evaluate industrial design concepts for our new and existing restaurants. The Development Lab assesses virtually every physical component in our stores, from wood wall-to-ceiling assemblies to menu boards, looking for ways to more seamlessly tie material sourcing and fabrication techniques to the final design. Such innovations create opportunities to operate more efficiently and serve our customers faster. Importantly, the Development Lab is a smart link between our internal design and branding team, operations team, food safety experts, leadership team, and construction contractors. The Development Lab sees the full picture of our operations and impact and invents new ways for us to get delicious food into the hands of more customers every day. The Development Lab is an important extension of our efforts to improve our customers’ dining experience while minimizing our costs and environmental footprint. For example, when we wanted to find a new and better way to increase recycling and composting at our restaurants, the Development Lab solved the problem. Matt Slattery, our Development Lab Manager, working with the Design team, Development Lab staff and select vendors, prototyped then produced a customizable waste container that will allow our restaurants to collect the waste and recycling available in their regions — all while maintaining the clean, functional design for which Chipotle is known.