Verdict Food Service

Daily Newsletter

11 August 2023

Daily Newsletter

Taco Bell aims to operate 10,000 restaurants in US

It will focus on digital restaurants, work with its franchisees and expanding team members scholarships.

Taco Bell has announced that it is focusing on its growth trajectory and is on track to operate 10,000 restaurants in the US in the coming years.

As part of the growth strategy, the restaurant brand will unveil new concepts, introduce innovative solutions and create more digitally-enabled restaurants.

The fast food chain noted that it plans to leverage an array of asset types, including Cantinas, which offers localised urban experiences, to a new iteration of Go Mobile, which will lead the industry in digital-forward restaurants.

In March this year, Taco Bell opened its Go Mobile restaurant model in El Paso, Texas.

Taco Bell created the concept to address the drive-through bottlenecks by removing the indoor dining area and adding a dedicated parking area for mobile and delivery orders with an outdoor pick-up window and grab-and-go shelves.

To support the expansion of its digital footprint, the brand unveiled its new digital-forward and newest small box design restaurant model.

This model is said to be the latest iteration of the Go Mobile concept, boasting more digital touchpoints than any other Taco Bell restaurant.

The restaurant brand is also working alongside its franchisees to expand its portfolio of restaurants.

Taco Bell and its franchisee partners will also focus on expanding team members' scholarships and mentorship programmes to help them pursue their dreams.

Taco Bell North America managing director Scott Mezvinsky said: “Taco Bell is growing for good. Each time a new restaurant opens, we treat it as an opportunity to do better for fans, team members and our franchise partners.

“Our secret sauce is our constant innovation paired with our incredible franchisee partnerships, which unlocks our profitable growth and further expansion.

“From creating new jobs and strengthening our communities to evolving the brand experience our fans have come to love, we're consistently looking to build for a better future.”

Generative AI remains an untapped potential across the consumer industry

GlobalData estimates the total AI market will be worth $909 billion in 2030, growing at a CAGR of 35.2% between 2022 and 2030. The consumer goods, foodservice, and packaging sectors are undergoing digital transformation, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and changing consumer preferences. AI can help companies operating in these sectors by significantly reducing costs and production times. In Nestlé's 2022 full-year results, the company announced a renewed focus on digitalization to drive growth. Financial and reputational pressures associated with supply chain disruptions and sustainability concerns are also driving interest in the digitalization of supply chains. Data science and ML are strong investments across all areas. However, the sectors cannot stop at AI-powered data analytics applications. They must also explore computer vision (CV), smart robots, AI sensors that automate manufacturing and distribution logistics, and generative AI tools that increase efficiency across corporate departments and customer service operations and enable innovation in product design. For the most part, the consumer goods, foodservice, and packaging sectors will not play a significant role in creating and developing AI hardware or platforms. Instead, these sectors will help scale up the adoption of AI technologies, such as CV, conversational platforms, and smart robots. This adoption will be driven by the financial benefits and potential cost savings AI automation delivers across global supply chains.