From innovative, digital-forward restaurant concepts to a people-first team member experience, Taco Bell sets its sights on good growth

TLDR:

• As part of the overall growth strategy, Taco Bell® continues to prioritize its best-in-industry team member experience, through advanced back of house technology for ordering ease, scholarships for continuing education in partnership with the Taco Bell Foundation, and training programs.
• Taco Bell continues to expand its digital footprint. The brand unveils its newest digital-forward and newest small box design restaurant model, which is its latest iteration of the Go Mobile® concept, boasting more digital touchpoints than any other Taco Bell restaurant.
• Taco Bell franchisee, Tacala Companies, celebrates its 350th restaurant this summer by focusing on team member growth and providing more scholarship funding to help with education and career pursuits within or outside the organization.

Irvine, Calif. (August 9, 2023) – More than halfway into 2023, Taco Bell’s growth strategy is focused on fueling growth as the brand unveils new concepts to unlock unique experiences, introduce innovative solutions to industry wide challenges and create more digitally enabled restaurants. Ultimately, Taco Bell is on track to operate 10,000 U.S. based restaurants in the coming years by leveraging a variety of asset types including Cantinas that provide localized urban experiences, to a new iteration of Go Mobile® that will lead the industry in digital-forward restaurants.

“Taco Bell is growing for good. Each time a new restaurant opens, we treat it as an opportunity to do better for fans, team members and our franchise partners,” said Scott Mezvinsky, Managing Director, North America. “Our secret sauce is our constant innovation paired with our incredible franchisee partnerships, which unlocks our profitable growth and further expansion. From creating new jobs and strengthening our communities to evolving the brand experience our fans have come to love, we’re consistently looking to build for a better future.”

Working hand in hand with franchisees, Taco Bell continues to expand its portfolio of restaurants, pairing the iconic and craveable classics fans know and love with unique perspectives of local franchisees. The result is locally relevant restaurants making meaningful contributions to their communities. Each franchise offers unique leadership opportunities and benefits and are truly culture champions of each restaurant.

Launching the Newest Digital-Forward Restaurant Concept
Furthering the Taco Bell portfolio is the newest iteration of Go Mobile: a digital-forward restaurant model, which opened in El Paso, Texas in March 2023. The concept is Taco Bell’s newest small box design, with more digital touchpoints than any other Taco Bell restaurant. It builds on the original Go Mobile concept, which leveraged technology to create more touch points for consumers to order and pick up in a seamless experience. This concept was created to provide solutions for an industry-wide problem – drive-thru bottlenecks – by eliminating the indoor dining area and adding dedicated parking for mobile and delivery orders with an outdoor pick-up window and grab-and-go shelves. Elements of this restaurant will be incorporated into future builds, including the newest addition which can be found in Columbus, Georgia.

Investing in Team Members
An essential piece of bringing these innovative concepts to life is supporting the teams inside and outside the restaurant. In 2020, Taco Bell introduced the Touch Kitchen Display System (Touch KDS), a technology that gives team members the capability to prioritize orders based on size and complexity, access build cards and share orders with other team members. As a result, orders are delivered with increased efficiency and accuracy, which ultimately resulted in Taco Bell being named the fastest drive-thru the past two years by QSR Magazine. The brand is continuing to roll out this system to most of its restaurants by the end of this year and introduce an all-new open-kitchen floor plan that focuses on team member ergonomics – all part of the effort to provide best in class experience for the people that keep the restaurants running and fans fed.

Outside the restaurant, Taco Bell and its franchisee partners prioritize expanding team members scholarships and mentorship programs to help pursue their dreams*. Tacala Companies, a Taco Bell franchisee that just recently opened its 350th restaurant in Auburn, Alabama, has set the bar high, offering Team Tacala Scholarships that have changed lives by awarding over $1.4 million to 650 employees since 2014.

The importance of supporting team members is clear based on Maggie Ramirez’s experience as a five-time recipient of the Team Tacala Scholarship. While working at Taco Bell, she has pursued education to become a Licensed Practical Nurse and has officially graduated this month, becoming a Registered Nurse – entirely debt-free. “Working at Taco Bell taught me valuable lessons and provided great educational opportunities,” Ramirez said. “The Team Tacala Scholarships allowed me to concentrate on my academics instead of worrying about college tuition. Receiving these scholarships not only benefited me financially but also encouraged me to continue pushing forward and created opportunities for me to help others in need.”

Expanding the Cantina Footprint with a Twist!
Along with expanding its digital footprint and investing in team member experiences, Taco Bell continues to bring unique experiences to fans by broadening its Cantina reach. Each Cantina is designed to match the ambience of its location with urban designs, open kitchen concepts and alcoholic drinks – including a twist on the famous freezes. The newest Cantinas use the latest technology to ensure that each location offers the best experience possible to fans and team members. In 2023, Taco Bell plans to add multiple new locations to its most vibrant restaurant concept, with new additions coming to Indianapolis and Downtown Los Angeles by the end of this year.

*Franchisees and licensees are independent business owners and employers and are responsible for their own employment practices and benefits.

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