Taco Bell says it will test four new restaurant designs beginning this year.
The new designs are part of the fast-food Mexican chain’s plan to add 2,000 restaurants over the next six years. The company also plans to expand its use of the Taco Bell Cantina, which debuted last year in Chicago and San Francisco. The cantina includes local artwork and serves alcohol.
Taco Bell, a division of Yum Brands, says the four restaurant styles are meant to reflect the local communities where they operate.
“While all four restaurant designs each have a different contextual personality, they all share a commonality in expressing Taco Bell’s brand like never before,” chief marketing officer Marisa Thalberg said in a news release. “From the open kitchen that showcases our freshly prepared foods to the community tables designed for friends to hang out, each of these formats fosters a modern, unique experience.”
Here’s how Taco Bell describes the new designs:
Heritage: Inspired by its culinary roots in Mexican-inspired food with a twist, this style is a modern interpretation of Taco Bell’s original Mission Revival style characterized by warm white walls with classic materials in the tile and heavy timbers.
Modern Explorer: This rustic modern style is a refined version of the brand’s Cantina Explorer restaurants and can easily fit into a suburban or rural environment. Inspired by the farms that make our food, this style reinforces Taco Bell’s commitment to the best ingredients, authenticity and transparency of materials and dining preparation.
California Sol: Inspired by Taco Bell’s California roots and the California lifestyle, this design blurs the lines between indoor and outdoor. It’s a celebration of dining al fresco and embraces a laidback beachy feel both inside and out.
Urban Edge: This design represents an eclectic mix of international and street style done the Taco Bell way. This style is inspired by timeless design married with cutting-edge elements of the urban environment.
The new restaurant designs will be tested in Orange County, California.
“It’s no longer one size fits all,” said Deborah Brand, vice president of development and design. “Consumers are looking for a localized, customized and personalized experiences that reflect the diversity of their communities – the flexibility in bringing these four designs to life gives us just that.”
