Taco Bell to launch its new Australian store on Saturday

Brace yourself Australia, the time has come for a Mexican fiesta.

And Christmas has come early for Brisbane as Taco Bell announced a new restaurant will officially open its doors in North Lakes at 9am on Saturday, December 15.

The Mexican-inspired fast food store will be one of 60 new restaurants, set to roll out across Australia and New Zealand from 2019.

The American franchise will expand Down Under after its burritos, quesadillas and nachos proved successful at their first Australian store in Brisbane’s Annerley.

 

Christmas has come early for Brisbane as Taco Bell announced a new restaurant will officially open its doors in North Lakes at 9am on Saturday (pictured Brisbane’s Annerley store)

What is Taco Bell? 

Taco Bell opened its first store in California in 1962 and now has 7,000 sites across the US and serves 2billion customers worldwide.

The Mexican fast food chain is famous for its bargain burritos, quesadillas and nachos.

The latest restaurants opening up in Australia will be the brand’s third attempt to hit the market Down Under.

The chain first opened a branch in Australia in the early 1980s but was forced to shut following a trademark dispute against an existing Sydney restaurant called Taco Bell’s Casa.

The American franchise tried again by opening a store in Sydney’s CBD in the late 1990s – but by 2005 Taco Bell pulled out of the Australian market again.

In true Taco Bell style, the North Lakes restaurant will host a ‘fun-filled opening day party’ with taco hats.

And the first 62 customers through the door will receive a limited edition merchandise and one lucky diner will win free Taco Bell for an entire year.

The American franchise has confirmed it had reached agreement with Taco Bell’s Asian arm to bring 60 stores to New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, starting in the New Year.

Restaurant Brands, which currently owns and operates 36 Taco Bell stores in Guam and Hawaii, also holds the right of first offer to establish new Taco Bell restaurants in Australia and NZ.

‘Bringing the Taco Bell brand to this part of the world aligns with our strategy of focusing on global tier one brands in markets we understand,’ Restaurant Brands’ group chief executive Russel Creedy said.

The American franchise will expand Down Under after its burritos, quesadillas and nachos proved successful in a trial store in Brisbane 's Annerley (pictured)

The American franchise will expand Down Under after its burritos, quesadillas and nachos proved successful in a trial store in Brisbane ‘s Annerley (pictured)

The company said it expects the initial build to be funded from internally generated cash flows and completed by 2024, but predicted that “it will take several years for the brand to make a significant contribution from the Australian and New Zealand markets”.

The company said the Taco Bell deal was not conditional on the 75 per cent takeover offer from Mexican investor Finaccess Capital.

Restaurant Brands also operates Pizza Hut, KFC, and Starbucks franchises across Australia and New Zealand.

Shares in the company were last trading on the ASX at $7.33, down from a June 2018 peak of $8.05.

The American franchise confirmed it had reached agreement with Taco Bell's Asian arm to bring 60 stores to New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, starting in 2019

The American franchise confirmed it had reached agreement with Taco Bell’s Asian arm to bring 60 stores to New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, starting in 2019

As timings and locations are yet to be revealed, Taco Bell has confirmed they will be heading to South East Queensland first, with restaurants opening up in North Lakes, Robina and Cleveland.

The fast food giant reassured its taco fans in October the chain will launch new restaurants in other states over a three-year period, sending foodies into a frenzy. 

‘We don’t have specifics to share at this stage, but let’s just say not all 50 [restaurants] will be opening in Queensland,’ the company said.

After opening Australia’s first store in Brisbane in November 2017, the popular restaurant attracted a line out the door that lasted months.

The fast food giant has reassured its taco fans the chain will launch new restaurants in other states over a three-year period, sending foodies into a frenzy

The fast food giant has reassured its taco fans the chain will launch new restaurants in other states over a three-year period, sending foodies into a frenzy

The franchise promises to deliver quick serving dining in Australia, with its customer-curated music playlists, free WIFI, craft beers, frozen margaritas and regular live music sessions

The franchise promises to deliver quick serving dining in Australia, with its customer-curated music playlists, free WIFI, craft beers, frozen margaritas and regular live music sessions

‘We have had an overwhelming response to the launch of Taco Bell in Brisbane, and we know that the Australian market is hungry for more,’ Taco Bell Asia Pacific’s managing director Ankush Tuli said.

‘We can’t wait to give our passionate fans in Australia the chance to enjoy Taco Bell in more cities across the country.’

The franchise promises to deliver quick serving dining in Australia, with its ‘epic fit-outs’, open kitchens, customer-curated music playlists, free WiFi, craft beers, frozen margaritas and regular live music sessions.

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