Taco Bell is shaking things up with its new focus on drinks through the Live Más Café concept. The first store opened in Chula Vista, California, last December, and a second followed near the University of California, Irvine. By year-end, Taco Bell plans to have 30 of these cafés scattered across Southern California and Texas.
What’s special about the Live Más Café? It’s integrated into existing Taco Bell locations. Customers can order drinks from kiosks and watch “bellristas” whip up their beverages right behind the counter. The drink selection ranges from blended coffees to refreshing lemonade drinks.
This bold beverage venture aims to hit an impressive target: a $5 billion drink business by 2030. According to Taco Bell, more than 600 million drinks have been sold this year, a 16% increase compared to last year, with over 60% of orders including a drink. Liz Matthews, Taco Bell’s global chief food innovation officer, believes the trend reflects a growing demand for unique flavor experiences.
The Irvine café is designed to put drinks front and center, with self-order kiosks positioned for a clear view of drink preparation. Their menu is divided into four categories: churro chillers, specialty coffees, refrescas, and “bellrista favorites.” The most popular items include fruity concoctions and indulgent shakes, with the Mexican Chocolate Churro Chiller leading the sales charge.
Interestingly, this drink-centric trend is not exclusive to Taco Bell. Other fast-food chains are tapping into beverage innovations. For instance, Shake Shack now offers lemonade with mini raspberry boba, and Panera is testing various refreshing drinks. According to Technomic, beverage sales across the top 500 chains have jumped over 9% in the past year. This surge is driven largely by younger consumers eager for new and playful options.
Claire Conaghan, a trend analyst, points out that the younger generation enjoys what’s dubbed the “little treat” culture—small indulgences that allow for experimentation and personalization. Varchasvi Singh from Mintel highlights that younger diners are more open to trying premium items compared to older generations, who associate fast food with affordability.
For Taco Bell, Live Más Café is part of a strategy to engage this younger demographic, whose spending power is predictably on the rise. The chain’s move to integrate this café model into existing locations reflects a savvy business approach by allowing them to gather real-time feedback on drink preferences and combinations.
In recent years, Taco Bell has consistently outperformed its peers within Yum Brands, with a 4% growth in same-store sales reported in the second quarter, even as others struggle. It’s clear that Taco Bell’s innovative spirit and commitment to beverage offerings might just be the key to its continued success.
For more on Taco Bell’s strategic changes and financial outlook, check out their official news page here.
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