A couple of decades ago, Taco Bell was a mess. It suffered a string of food poisoning humiliations going back to 1995, which threatened to kill the chain through bad publicity. Then the Tex-Mex Taco joint got itself a new CEO, a new streamlined menu and a new direction…
The new Taco Bell Defy concept: Optimized for drive-thru and mobile ordering…
The menu cull and the new direction were focused on bringing the Bell back to its roots – tacos, and a few carefully selected supporting menu items. The new CEO kicked off a string of menu innovations on the central theme that continues today with frequently refreshed rotating limited-time menu items and an ongoing program of new product tests – only a very few of which ever even get to the limited-time slot, much less the permanent menu.
Defying the past
Carrying on with the new tradition of innovation and forward thinking, the Bell came up with a futuristic, next-gen, digitally optimized, drive-thru-oriented restaurant under the concept name Taco Bell Defy.
Ten months ago, the chain announced it was breaking ground for the inaugural Defy location in in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. It opened yesterday and we’re waiting, with bated breath, for the first consumer reviews.
The nitty gritty
Defy is basically a kitchen on stilts that uses proprietary vertical lifts to deliver orders to waiting motorists at ground level (see photo, top of page). Al the staff remain upstairs, fulfilling orders that come to them via digital ordering screens with two-way audio and video below. It’s a contactless process that the Bell feels will make both customers and employees more comfortable in the late- and post-COVID eras.
The idea is to leverage technology to make prep and service more efficient and optimize the customer’s ‘digital experience’.
To that end, the Defy concept prioritizes mobile ordering offering app users skip-the-line service. And delivery orders will be expedited to drivers via a separate fulfilment channel.
From the Bell’s standpoint…
In short, the new concept is designed to minimize the staffing required to run the operation and maximize order throughput. It will also minimize maintenance costs and property taxes: no parking lot required.
Sure, an adjustment period will be required – for ‘training’ staff and customers to make the most of the Defy experience.And you can expect that the ‘final’ Defy concept will reflect changes and adaptations revealed through the first months of the prototype store’s operations.
Not alone
The Bell is not alone in its modernizing push, by any means. Most of the major Fast Food chains have unveiled their takes on the future of their industry. But all eyes will be on Defy, as it blazes the trail…
~ Maggie J.