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Taco Bell testing fast-casual concept restaurant "U.S. Taco Co." to take on Chipotle

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X

XiaNaphryz

LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
Check It, Chipotle: Taco Bell Tests Fast-Casual Concept in California

Executives from Taco Bell are launching a fast-casual concept in Huntington Beach, Calif., dubbed U.S. Taco Co. Though the concept was created by Taco Bell execs, it will bear little resemblance to Taco Bell.

Taco Bell CEO Greg Creed said the idea started to take shape about a year ago, after the company did some routine consumer-segmentation research. The company found "a number of segments that provide growth for Taco Bell." One of those segments is made up of consumers who are willing to spend a little more for higher-quality ingredients and better atmosphere beyond what the traditional fast-food chain offers.

"We could spend time and money trying to get these people interested in Taco Bell," he said, but they would probably never become regular Taco Bell patrons. "We thought, maybe there's a new brand we can create to address this opportunity," he said, adding that the chain "has the talent and the money" to explore new concepts.

And so U.S. Taco Co., with logo art reminiscient of Day of the Dead sugar skulls, was born. The first location is slated to open up in the next few months (construction is just beginning), and the menu's focus will be on tacos, fries and shakes.

The giant player in the Mexican fast-casual concept is Chipotle. It and many other players in this category offer burritos and standard Mexican proteins such as steak, chicken and carnitas.
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Offerings include spins on various regional American food such as a taco inspired by a Philly cheesesteak called Brotherly Love, or one inspired by Southern fried chicken called Winner Winner. Mr. Jenkins said that he hopes the food will lend itself to Instagram photography -- something that Taco Bell's social media teams has focused heavily on lately.

Toppings offered on the tacos can also be placed on an order of fries. And though the Huntington Beach location won't offer booze because of zoning ordinances, a second location in the Los Angeles area is in the works and will offer beer, wine and even boozy milkshakes like the Mexican Car Bomb, which includes vanilla ice cream, tequila caramel sauce, chocolate flakes and Guinness stout.

"The menu is simple and we wanted it limited to be focused on tacos, fries and shakes," said Rene Piscoitti, executive chef at U.S. Taco Co. and a Taco Bell executive, adding that the chain has already developed a number of tacos well beyond what will be offered at first. "We're starting with 10 tacos but we have an opportunity for more -- we have 20 more in queue we could pull in anytime."
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T

Thug Waffle

Member
I am indebted to Taco Bell for life since the release of the Cheesy Gordita Crunch. I will gladly choose this place over my beloved quesarrito parlor Chipotle.
 
W

Winterfang

Banned
I don't go to Taco Bell for fancy dining, I go because is cheap as there's food as just borderline creative. Taco Pizza, Doritos Tacos, Taco Salad.
 
P

Paskil

Member
That actually looks pretty good. Needs more cilantro, though. Spicy pickled onions are pretty much the best thing on a taco.
 
H

harSon

Banned
a second location in the Los Angeles area is in the works and will offer beer, wine and even boozy milkshakes like the Mexican Car Bomb, which includes vanilla ice cream, tequila caramel sauce, chocolate flakes and Guinness stout.
Click to expand...

That sounds amazing
 
Goro Majima

Goro Majima

Kitty Genovese Member
BigAT said:
gol15.jpg


You don't have to tell me twice.
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:jnc

I know Taco Bell wants a piece of that fast casual pie but this is really counterintuitive to their current practice of providing tasty food for the lowest cost possible sold in huge quantities. They'll have to plan around selling better quality products with far less volume....in a somewhat saturated market. Inevitably, they will be tempted to share ingredients between franchises at some point.
 
way more

way more

Member
Do you have to dress up all fancy like when you go to the Wal-Mart are is this more of a Dollar Store type?
 
Z

ZealousD

Makes world leading predictions like "The sun will rise tomorrow"
I was about ready to pounce on another chain that's just trying to be a copy of Chipotle, but worse, but then I saw the menu is going to focus on fries and shakes.

That's uh, not really Chipotle-esque. Sounds like they're sort of inventing their own little niche here.
 
T

tokkun

Member
Mr. Jenkins said that he hopes the food will lend itself to Instagram photography -- something that Taco Bell's social media teams has focused heavily on lately.
Click to expand...

The modern world is so much shittier than the future I was promised as a child.
 
K

kick51

Banned
"We could spend time and money trying to get these people interested in Taco Bell," he said, but they would probably never become regular Taco Bell patrons.
Click to expand...


how about instead of opening a new chain of restaurants, just put the money towards legalized recreational marijuana

bam! they're converted.
 
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