Chipotle Mexican Grill is launching its latest drive-thru restaurant in South Jersey.

Located at 14 Centerton Road in Bridgeton, the newly built outpost includes a “Chipotlane” that allows customers to pick up digital orders from their cars.

Following its Aug. 8 grand opening, Chipotle will be open daily from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Hiring efforts are also underway for the restaurant, according to Chipotle. Benefits include a crew bonus with the opportunity to earn an extra month’s worth of pay each year, a debt-free college program, English as a Second Language program and access to mental health care resources for employees and their families.

Known for customizable burritos, tacos, salads and bowls, the Newport Beach, Calif.-based fast casual has a nationwide footprint of 3,500 locations. Within New Jersey, Chipotle has 95 restaurants.

Driving sales

Since debuting drive-thru lanes in 2018, the chain has added the feature to more than 800 stores and counting.

Of the 52 new company-operated restaurants Chipotle opened during the quarter ending June 30, 46 included a Chipotlane. During its second quarter earnings call last month, CEO Brian Niccol said the format not only enhances guest access and convenience but also increases new location sales, margins and returns.

Chipotlanes typically have about 15% higher sales than a traditional restaurant, with the current average unit volume at around $3 million, said Niccol, who has noted that even though the feature is available in about only a quarter of the chain’s system, it has hundreds of basis points of higher margins.

Of the 285 to 315 restaurants Chipotle expects to open in 2024, more than 80% will include drive-thrus, the company said.

Locally, Chipotlanes are available at nearly two dozen Chipotles in New Jersey, including Absecon, Vineland, Phillipsburg, North Brunswick, Burlington, Mount Laurel, Paramus, Toms River, Forked River, Manahawkin, Edison, Shrewsbury, Cape May Court House, Watchung and East Windsor.

A spokesperson for Chipotle did not immediately respond to an inquiry about additional openings planned in New Jersey this year.