Taco Bell to roll out dozens of new stores across Australia

Taco Bell is set to open more Aussie stores

Mexican fast food restaurant Taco Bell is set to open more stores in Australia.

The American franchise will expand Down Under after its burritos, quesadillas and nachos proved successful in a trial store in Brisbane.

Collins Foods, which has the Australian rights to Taco Bell and KFC, announced the expansion last week along with news of a 21.7 per cent profit increase to $32.5million. 

‘We are pleased with the acceptance of the Taco Bell brand by Australian consumers,’ the company said.

‘We have entered an exciting new phase with the successful launch of our first Taco Bell restaurant, with further restaurants to follow over the next 12 months.’ 

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

It opened a branch in Sydney in the early 1980s and in 1997 but withdrew both times.

Some analysts are predicting the chain may struggle to make its mark in Australia, with several Mexican restaurants already trading. 

Taco Bell opened its first store in California in 1962 and now has 7,000 sites across the US. Pictured: The branch in Brisbane

The Doritos Locos Taco, which has been on the menu and a best seller for Taco Bell

Ibis World senior industry analyst Bao Vuong told news.com: ‘Fast food is extremely competitive with lots of options. The landscape is more saturated and it’s harder for fast food operators to stand out.

But, he said there was hope for the new brand, adding: ‘Taco Bell have unsuccessfully tried to expand into Australia before but I think people are now more embracing of international cuisines, especially Mexican, so it’s an untapped market and there is potential for it to succeed.’

The rise of Taco Bell could hasten the decline of struggling Sizzler restaurants, also owned by Collins Foods.   

‘Sizzler hasn’t done well because consumers have now embraced new types of products, like food vans and pop-up restaurants, and Sizzler doesn’t stand out, it stands for something generic,’ said Mr Vuong.

Sizzler said it was ‘continuing its transition,’ with some speculating that Sizzler stores would be turned into Taco Bell restaurants as in Brisbane.

The rise of Taco Bell could hasten the decline of Sizzler restaurants, also owned by Collins Foods

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk