Taco Bell's Breaking Ground on a Futuristic Restaurant with 4 Drive-Thru Lanes

Contactless service and a faster drive-thru experience are major priorities.

taco bell defy drive thru
Courtesy of Taco Bell
Courtesy of Taco Bell

Taco Bell is constantly advancing the fast food experience. Whether introducing new menu items (I’ll love you forever, spicy soft tacos), offering $7 meal combos, or creating unique hotel activations, Taco Bell is a leader in the fast food industry. Now, the chain is going above and beyond by breaking ground on a new dining experience with a restaurant called Taco Bell Defy.

The new space will soon be under construction in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. It will be a 3,000 square foot, two-story structure with four drive-thru lanes and a focus on improving the drive-thru experience. The building comes from a collaboration between Border Foods, the largest private Taco Bell franchisee in the US, and Vertical Works Inc., a Minneapolis-based design company.

taco bell defy drive thru
Courtesy of Taco Bell

Three of the four drive-thru lanes will be dedicated to pick-up and mobile orders, and new screens will allow customers to interact with employees via audio and video, prioritizing contactless ordering. Customers will use a QR code to scan in their orders and receive their order from the “bell-evator.” The lift operates between ground level and second-floor kitchen and will be used to deliver food to customers, allowing employees and customers to avoid face-to-face contact.

taco bell defy drive thru
Courtesy of Taco Bell

Customers will be able to experience the Defy space come summer 2022. “This new, innovative concept breaking ground in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, will improve a major aspect of the consumer experience: drive-thru speed,” said President of Border Foods Aaron Engler in a press release.

If Taco Bell is taking requests for their next restaurant concept, I would like to gently suggest a revival of the '90s interior decor. Bring back the teal squiggles, please!

Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.

Opheli Garcia Lawler is a staff writer at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter @opheligarcia and Instagram @opheligarcia.