Posted on 05/18/2015 12:40:05 PM PDT by JOAT
Yum Brands' (YUM) Taco Bell may soon ask diners not only to "live más" but "drink más," too.
The Mexican-themed fast-food chain has applied for a liquor license at a soon-to-open location in Chicago, according to Nation's Restaurant News, a trade publication. While Taco Bell didn't immediately return a request from CBS MoneyWatch for comment, it confirmed the liquor license application to Nation's Restaurant News.
If the application is approved, Taco Bell would join Mexican food rivals such as Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) that already serve alcoholic beverages. Still, for many family-focused fast-food brands, alcohol has remained firmly off the menu.
But in recent years, Taco Bell has been focused on grabbing younger diners by expanding its breakfast options and tapping social media and digital platforms, moves that have helped it gain Millennial diners. Adding margaritas or other drinks could add to that appeal.
Testing a new menu item at one or a handful of locations is standard protocol for fast-food restaurants because it allows executives to see how their customers react without spending huge sums on a risky national rollout.
McDonald's (MCD), for instance, recently said it would test all-day breakfast at some San Diego locations. Like Taco Bell, McDonald's is also aiming at Millennials' wallets, given the generation is now America's biggest, even surpassing the baby boomers. Millennials are especially interested in ordering breakfast at any time of the day.
The location where Taco Bell may start selling alcoholic drinks is in Chicago's Wicker Park area, which Forbes has called one of the country's hippest hipster neighborhoods.
The Wicker Park location will feature a "completely new urban restaurant design," according to Nation's Restaurant News. Taco Bell plans to open a number of new restaurants in urban locations with hip designs, such as creating stores from shipping containers or creating restaurants with open kitchens.
"I know a lot of people are talking about creating modern fast-food brands, and a lot are trying. But we're already on our way," Taco Bell CEO Brian Niccol told the publication in March. "We're continuing to move Taco Bell into its own category."
Are the margaritas any good? (see post 23)
Agreed.
But I think they'd have to completely restructure their menu to pull that off.
It’s a notch above fast food and the food quality is light years ahead of Taco Bell, which is inedible IMO.
It’s fast food. You want good margaritas you go to Joe T Garcias in Ft Worth.
We’ve got a local chain called Taco Casa that tastes a little like Taco Bell did in the ‘70s, before they started making their meat swim in that foul sauce. It’s so much better, though their one major falling is nachos. They taste just as fake as Taco Bell’s bizarre chips.
Ahh, self-evident truth.
After Taco Bell started telling the public its beef is 88 percent beef, customers were left to wonder, what's the other 12 percent?
Pepsico owns taco bell, pizza hut, and KFC.
All three are so terrible
There is a wealth of craft or small breweries here in Oregon. My favorites that have a number of good brews are Deschutes, Ninkasi and Rogue Ales. A lot of the Ninkasi beers are heavy on the hops (IPAs) but that’s what I like with food — Thai and Mexican.
And they have the audacity to call it 'YUM' brands
And that Mexican is no doubt real food, eh?
We too, have an unbelievable assortment of local brews available and really fantastic Mexican restaurants. I can't imagine wasting that opportunity with tasteless 'lites' and Taco Hell!
No good can come of this.
LOL yes because most of the time I make the Mexican food and my wife makes the Thai. My plain old cheese enchiladas with home made enchilada sauce are simple but addicting. Of course, I use hot lard to soften the corn tortillas. I also make good sweet pork tamales. I grew up in a Mexican American town and our neighbor owned the #1 restaurant.
WHAT?!?!
Happy hour at Taco Hell®?
Just imagine the hipster hookups at the bar at closing time.
That sounds fantastic!
My oldest son bottled some caramel porter last night. I think I'll have to get some of that with some pork burritos to cleanse my mental pallette from the notion of Taco Bell and Bud Lite.
Sounds like a winner. Now I’m hungry.
Personally I like their food. I also like real Mexican food. The most you can say about Taco Bell is it’s “Mexican inspired”, but it’s tasty. Millions apparently agree.
Be well..
Yeah its called siesta.
See Esther?
Where?......................
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