Taco Bell's First Drive-Thru Cantina Features A Fire Pit, Cornhole, & A Full Bar
Living más is getting a new look, thanks to a Taco Bell restaurant redesign. Following a surge in drive-thru orders during the pandemic, the company is planning to make dining even more convenient by rolling out a new Go Mobile concept in addition to the launch of Taco Bell's drive-thru Cantina with a fire pit and cornhole. The first of its kind, this specialty cantina location looks like a patio season destination with a full bar and game area — and it could be a preview of what to expect in the coming years.
Over the next 10 years, Taco Bell is planning to revamp its old franchises and open 10,000 new restaurants around the world with concepts based on changing customer dining habits and preferences since the beginning of the pandemic. Considering fast food chains saw a huge big spike in drive-thru and digital orders over the past year, it's not surprising that T-Bell is following suit by giving its popular Cantina set-up a more convenient twist. The first-ever drive-thru Cantina, which opened on Jan. 6, 2021 in Danville, California, combines the best of both worlds by offering outdoor social aspects like a fire pit and cornhole game with the convenience of a drive-thru lane. The destination spot will also offer a full bar indoors for dine-in customers once the company decides it's safe to do so, making it a versatile location for both customers who want a quick dining experience as well as people looking to eat their Crunchwrap Supremes at a more social spot.
While Taco Bell tells Elite Daily it can't confirm any immediate plans to add more drive-thrus to the rest of the 30 existing Cantina locations, it wouldn't be too surprising if you see more of them pop up over the next couple of years, as the company says the new concept has had "positive customer reactions."
Speaking of drive-thrus, Taco Bell will also be rolling out the in-person digital concept it began testing in 2020 amidst the pandemic. In addition to minimizing dining spaces indoors, customers can expect dual drive-thru lanes for a faster experience as well as ordering via tablet and curbside pickup options. To further assist customers, Taco Bell will be employing "bellhops," which are team members who will help facilitate the drive-thru process and make it as seamless as possible. The company says it's hoping to hire 1,000 bellhops by the summer across the country at its Go Mobile locations.
Meanwhile, Taco Bell also teased plans to open its first kiosk-focused location in New York City's Time Square in the spring, giving customers another digital option to get their food with minimal exposure.
When visiting any of these Taco Bell locations, you'll want to follow the most up-to-date guidance from the CDC on social distancing and mask-wearing for takeout and delivery and, if you have the choice, you might want to consider opting for one of the company's drive-thru spots to grab your T-Bell order.
