Taco Bell Grows-UP

Branded chain restaurants either evolve or fade away according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  Consumers today are dynamic and branded restaurant chains must be as dynamic as consumers. 

Yum! Brands Taco Bell unit is evolving with consumers, well at least in urban centers according to Johnson.  Millennials grew up with Taco Bell as a fresh food staple, enjoyed the flavor profiles, adopted branded menu items as ‘favorites’.  Now Taco Bell is going to expand selling Alcohol from test too hundreds of new units. 

Under the expanded brand name “Taco Bell Cantina” Taco Bell plans to open between 300 and 350 “Cantina” locations by 2022, bringing its alcohol-focused concept to urban areas around the country.

Taco Bell has said in a recent article that it will focus on large cities, like Detroit, Pittsburgh, Boston, and New York, as it looks to expand the model, which doesn’t have a drive thru. In the Big Apple alone, Taco Bell aims to open at least 50.

Mike Grams, Taco Bell’s chief operating officer is quoted as saying “The “urban in-line” units will serve wine, sangria, beer, and Twisted Freezes—alcohol smoothies with tequila, rum, or vodka.”

Grams continued “One of the cool things happening in America right now is the revitalization of urban areas, and we’re seeing millennials moving into downtown areas,” Taco Bell Cantina came to life in October 2015. The hip design debuted in Chicago and San Francisco, and was geared toward locals, millennial consumers, and those looking to go out for drinks.

So we ask if Taco Bell can evolve with its consumers can you?  Where are you selling your fresh prepared Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat meals and meal components? Are you Looking–A-Customer Ahead?

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a new menu product segment and brand and menu integration strategy.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant/ or twitter.com/grocerant