This Is What the New Taco Bell Spin-Off Will Look Like
Taco Bell has answered the question, “Oh, you fancy, huh?” with a “Why, yes. Yes we are.” Or at least they could be with the fast food chain’s new restaurant spin-off: U.S. Taco Co. The American-inspired urban taproom has a plan to serve up better, more “Instagramable” food at slightly higher prices. And there will be booze involved. In other words, they have our attention.
Let’s dig a little deeper, because we are, after all, talking tacos, our favorite breakfast, brunch, lunch, snack and dinner food. (Oo dessert, too.) After figuring out that their customers would drop a little more dough for higher quality ingredients and a heartier side of ambiance (duh and well, of course), the execs at Yum Brand!, Taco Bell’s parent company decided to test out a restaurant that is more fast-casual than fast food to attract a whole new clientele. The first U.S. Taco Co. will launch in Huntington Beach, CA this year with a second (this one with booze) in Los Angeles. A first look at their menus has us seriously rethinking today’s lunch order.
This isn’t just elevated Gorditas or deconstructed Chalupas, ppl. The menu will feature 10 “premium” tacos ($4 each), fries and spiked milkshakes. The tacos pay homage to the food truck scene that’s made them popular in all different kinds of cuisine and the good ol’ U.S. of A. Senior brand manager at TB, Jeff Jenkins called the menu “the best of America in a taco.” So far they’ve released deets on the “Brotherly Love” taco — a Philly cheesesteak-inspired fold of yum and the Southern fried chicken taco, “Winner Winner.” A sneak sip at their milkshake menu offers up the unfortunately named, but interesting sounding Mexican Car Bomb milkshake which includes vanilla ice cream, tequila caramel sauce, chocolate flakes and Guinness stout. We repeat: tequila caramel sauce.
With this new venture, there’s some obvious elbowing going on to make Chipotle move aside, but with only two U.S. Taco Co. locations planned so far, our foiled friend will live to see another meal. As much as we love us a big ol’ burrito (and, yes, we know guac is extra), we do have to admit… yo quiero U.S. Taco Co. :-/
Would you hit up U.S. Taco Co.? Who would win in a U.S. Taco Co. Chipotle throwdown? What other cuisine do you want to see go “fast-casual”? Share below!