Taco Bell to Finally Open in Beijing After Years of Anticipation
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Fans of no-fuss Tex-Mex fast-food will be ecstatic to hear that the American chain, Taco Bell, is giving it a hard-fought run at breaking into the capital's market.
Awning for their new space, due to open in early September, went up outside Liangmaqiao's upscale grocery store Hello Mart late last month. Speaking to the Beijinger, Hello Mart founder and CEO Liu Xiangheng confirmed that the 200sqm space is currently under construction and that upon opening, will become Beijing's flagship store.Beijing's first Taco Bell is due to open in Liangmaqiao's Hello Mart come September
While we don't know what exactly will be on the menu at Beijing's outlet, we expect that it will mirror what is available in Shanghai, which is now home to seven Taco Bell stores after the brand began expanding there in 2016. That is to say that we can look forward to choices like quesadillas and the Cheesy Double Beef Burrito, but may lack familiar Stateside favorites like the Crunchwrap Supreme, Dorito tacos, or nacho fries. There are also several China-specific options such as waffles and alcoholic drinks like frozen margaritas, mojitos, and Asahi on draft.
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The Taco Bell franchise in China is owned by Yum China, which also oversees the operation of over 8,400 KFC and Pizza Hut venues nationwide. As we wrote back in 2016, this most recent expansion isn't Yum's first stab at getting Taco Bell to stick in China – that accolade goes to their full-service restaurant Taco Bell Grande, basically a Tex-Mex version of a sit-down Pizza Hut, which opened in Shenzhen and Shanghai back in 2003. However, by 2008 all of the venues had closed. By all accounts, Yum expects this go-around to be more successful because back in 2018, they announced plans to open another 1,000 locations across China by 2022.
Taco Bell Grande... a thing of the past
Sadly, the restaurant won't be open in time to join our Mexican-themed Hot & Spicy Festival next month, but you can bet that there'll be plenty of other Mexican grub to bide us over until September.
READ: Beijing's Best New Brunches: Summer 2020 Edition
Images: Clemence Jiang, qdaily.cn
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