A proposed Chipotle with a drive-thru pickup lane has received approval from the Gaithersburg Planning Commission, allowing plans for the new restaurant near Route 355 and Watkins Mill Road to move forward.
The approved site plan calls for the construction of a new 2,406 SF freestanding restaurant on a currently undeveloped portion of property located in the northwest quadrant of Route 355 and Watkins Mill Road. The restaurant is proposed to be operated by Chipotle and will include outdoor seating and a drive-thru lane. The new restaurant would be built on the lot between the existing Royal Farms and Chennai Hoppers.
According to planning documents, the drive-thru will function as a pre-order pickup lane only and will not accept orders at the window. Customers will place their orders ahead of time through the Chipotle app or online and then use the pickup lane to collect their food. The design also includes a bypass lane that doubles as an access aisle to additional parking spaces located along the western side of the property.
The approval comes as construction is already underway on another drive-thru Chipotle elsewhere in Gaithersburg. That location is being built at Walnut Hill Shopping Center on the opposite side of the city, giving Chipotle two new “Chipotlane” locations in the pipeline for Gaithersburg.
