Taco Bell Taco Bell opened its first four-lane, two-story drive-thru in Minnesota in June.The chain first revealed plans for the massive restaurant in 2021.The contactless delivery system “defies gravity” as food is transported from the second-story kitchen to drivers below.Taco Bell is finally opening the doors of its four-lane, two-story drive-thru in Minnesota that was first announced last summer.Taco Bell Source: Insider
Taco Bell Defy is designed to serve drive-thru customers, mobile orders, and delivery drivers in just two minutes or less, one of the fastest times in the industry.Taco Bell Customers can park in designated parking spaces to create mobile orders on Taco Bell’s app.Taco Bell Then mobile order customers can use a designated pick up lane to receive their food.Taco Bell These customers will be able to check in on mobile order screens with their QR codes provided by the app.
Taco Bell Another drive-thru lane will be dedicated just to delivery drivers picking up orders through third-party apps like UberEats and DoorDash.Taco Bell The final drive-thru lane will be more traditional, with a standard ordering board where customers can choose food and pay right at the restaurant.Taco Bell The four drive-thru lanes are larger than a standard restaurant, but follow the industry trend of adding lanes that has swept Taco Bell, McDonald’s, and other chains.Taco Bell Customers who order at the traditional speaker will talk to workers on the second floor of the restaurant through both audio and video.Taco Bell These workers will be located in the kitchen, which is located on top of the drive-thru lanes.Taco Bell This unusual drive-thru design minimizes the restaurant’s footprint.
Taco Bell The food is then delivered through a lift system down to waiting customers.
Taco Bell The food delivery system is contactless, and could be the “future of quick-service dining,” according to CEO of operator Border Foods Lee Engler.Taco Bell The lift system is proprietary, but there could by copy attempts in the future if the restaurants is successful.Taco Bell In the initial press release last year, the chain defined its food service system as defying gravity, leading to the “Defy” name.Taco Bell The process is new to fast food customers, though it seems somewhat similar to the system at a bank, and Taco Bell provided instructions for helping buyers figure it out.Taco Bell Though most of the buzz is focused on the drive-thru, customers will also be able to order inside the restaurant.Taco Bell Ordering kiosks have gained traction in fast food in recent years, and they’ll be included in this design, too.
Taco Bell Franchisee Border Foods says it is already considering how to best retrofit these designs onto other existing restaurants.Taco Bell Taco Bell COO Mike Grams told Restaurant Business Online in July that the franchisees behind Defy already have a setting in mind for the next location of the concept.Taco Bell Source: Restaurant Business Online
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