Taco Bell Wants You to Walk, Not Drive, to the Border

Is Taco Bell finally prepared to bring to fruition the future predicted in the 1993 movie Demolition Man?

1 minute read

October 5, 2017, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Taco Bell

via Modern Cities / First Street Development

Angie Schmitt picked up several reports of an epochal change in the fast food industry: Taco Bell is moving away from drive-thrus.

Devon Walsh broke the news in September, reporting that Taco Bell is planning to open more than 300 new locations, none including a drive-thru, by 2022. Specifically, according to Walsh, "the chain wants to make its presence known in urban areas."

Zeroing in on big cities like Detroit, Pittsburgh, Boston, and New York (including a plan to open at least 50 locations around the city's five boroughs). The new-and-improved “urban in-line” or “cantina-style” stores to come will be designed to express the local vibes with artwork, open kitchens, and digital menu boards.

There will also be booze at the new Taco Bells, which Walsh counts as the most exciting news.

And in case you didn't get the Demolition Man joke earlier, here is a clip that explains that in the future, all restaurants are Taco Bell.

Friday, September 15, 2017 in Food & Wine

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