With multiple pick-up lanes and numerous bright purple lights, Taco Bell's newest location concept may look more like a bank from the future rather than a fast food restaurant.
Named "Taco Bell Defy," the two-story establishment set to open Tuesday in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota features four drive-thru lanes and even a vertical lift to transport menu items straight from the kitchen to customers, according to a news release.
And the new location promises to be speedy fast, too. The goal is to have customers served within two minutes or less.
Nowadays, with people placing orders many ways - whether by delivery, pre-order or from their vehicle, the drive-thru lanes have designated purposes. Three lanes will be dedicated to pre-orders or delivery drivers, while the fourth will be for traditional drive-thru orders.
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“Taco Bell Defy embodies the innovative, entrepreneurial spirit of Minnesota businesses and franchisees,” said Lee Engler, co-founder and CEO of Border Foods, the franchisee that owns the specific Taco Bell. “It is a creative, technological solution for a faster, contactless experience for as many Taco Bell fans as possible and is poised to be the future of quick-service dining.”
New technology will be on display in many ways, such as through digital check-in screens for mobile order customers’ QR codes or two-way audio and video technology that allows customers to talk to team members on the second floor, the news release stated.
The Scene
Could you see a "Taco Bell Defy" near you anytime soon?
The new restaurant consists of "many features that could show up in future Taco Bell restaurants in the US," the company said. However, plans to expand the concept beyond the Minnesota location haven't been announced.