A new Chipotle Mexican Grill opened Tuesday in Monroe, and Monica Smith of Newport was the first customer to place an order.

“This is my first time trying Chipotle,” Smith said. “I ordered a chicken bowl with spicy chicken.”

Along with her order, Smith walked away with a Chipotle T-shirt, compliments of the restaurant.

Located at 1284 N. Telegraph Road, the corner eatery offers inside dining and features the “Chipotlane,” a pickup window that resembles a drive-thru. Customers place their orders using an app or online and simply drive up for pickup. The restaurant is open 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

According to the company, new Chipotlanes are opening with higher sales volume than non-Chipotlanes opened during the same time period. The organization attributes the success to a “seamless, easy transaction for guests to place their digital order in advance and grab their meal without ever leaving their car.

“We’re always looking for communities where we can serve responsibly sourced, classically cooked, real food and establish new local partnerships and the Monroe area is a great fit,” said a Chipotle spokesperson in a written statement.

Chipotle had over 3,200 restaurants as of March 31 in the United States, Canada the United Kingdom, France and Germany and is the only restaurant company of its size that owns and operates all its restaurants, the company said. It has more than 100,000 employees.

In addition to celebrating the Monroe location, the restaurant is promoting a new item on the menu, Chicken al Pastor. The item consists of seasoned chicken with a marinade of Chipotle’s adobo, morita peppers and ground achiote with a splash of pineapple, then topped with fresh lime and cilantro. The new protein option was launched in March.

On average, Chipotle locations offer jobs for 25 employees along with benefits such as a crew bonus with the opportunity to earn an extra month’s worth of pay each year, a debt-free college degree program, English as a second language classes, and access to mental health care for employees and their families.

The Monroe location is hiring. More information can be found at jobs.chipotle.com.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Chipotle Mexican Grill opens in Monroe with pickup window