Taco Bell Simplifies Drive-Thru With Taco Bell Defy
The concept will open next summer in Minnesota via a partnership with Border Foods.
Aug 13, 2021
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn.—Later this month, Taco Bell said it will break ground in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, on its newest drive-thru concept, Taco Bell Defy, which is billed as the fastest way ever to get Taco Bell.
The 3,000-square-foot, two-story model will feature first-of-its-kind Vertical Works Inc.-licensed design and technology and is slated to open its doors to the public by next summer.
The restaurant reimagines the traditional drive-thru experience with four lanes, three of which are dedicated to mobile or delivery-order pickups, providing fast, skip-the-line service for customers who order via the Taco Bell app and third-party delivery services. These three lanes will supplement one traditional lane, easing the flow of traffic and ensuring a speedy experience.
Digital check-in screens allow mobile order customers to scan in their order via a unique QR code, then pull forward to pick up their food, which is delivered seamlessly and in a contactless manner via a proprietary lift system, while two-way audio and video technology lets customers interact directly with the team members in the store’s kitchen above the lanes in real time. The elevated kitchen design will optimize and streamline operations for the benefit of both Taco Bell team members and customers.
The Defy concept was developed in partnership with design company Vertical Works Inc., which is powered by Workshop, PD Instore and Engelsma Construction. In 2020, Border Foods, one of the largest, privately held Taco Bell franchisees in America, enlisted Vertical Works to help it create an industry-provoking restaurant with a leading design. With an existing 35-year partnership, Taco Bell and Border Foods will partner on its 230th restaurant and 82nd new restaurant build.
Register to attend the 2021 NACS Show October 5-8, at McCormick Place in Chicago and take advantage of the education sessions on technology, including the sessions Meeting Consumers Where They Are—Everywhere on October 5 and Drive-Thru and Curbside: Is This the Future for C-Stores? on October 6.
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