Taco Bell is apparently proving that a broader focus on beverages can yield real sales for its existing restaurants.
The Mexican fast-food chain on Tuesday provided this interesting nugget in a statement about the continued expansion of its Live Más Café, in-restaurant drink concept: It has sold more than 600 million beverages this year, through August.
That is a 16% increase over the same period as 2024. And nearly two-thirds of orders at the chain have included a beverage so far.
Taco Bell’s same-store sales, perhaps not coincidentally, have easily outpaced the broader fast-food industry. Last quarter, for instance, its same-store sales rose 4%. By comparison, quick-service restaurant same-store sales declined an average of 0.6%.
The company earlier this year vowed to generate $5 billion in annual sales through beverages by 2030.
A key part of that goal is Live Más Café. Taco Bell on Tuesday said it plans to open the concept in Dallas next week, followed by Houston on Nov. 20.
Live Más Café features a selection of more than 30 beverages, including Churro Chillers, Dirty Mountain Dew Baja Blast Dream Sodas, specialty coffees and others. Taco Bell earlier said this year said that it would open locations of the concept in Texas and Southern California this fall.
Taco Bell said that its existing Live Más Café location in Irvine sells more than 900 drinks every day, and one in three orders feature a beverage specific to the drink concept.
“Live Más Café was created in response to what we’re seeing from Gen Z, a real cultural shift where beverages are becoming lifestyle drivers,” Taylor Montgomery, global chief brand officer for Taco Bell, said in an emailed statement.
Taco Bell is hardly the only restaurant chain that is focusing more on beverages. McDonald’s is rapidly expanding a test of its own expanded beverage lineup “inspired” by its now-shuttered CosMc’s concept. The beverage giant Dunkin’ is testing “Project Chill,” a repackaging of many of its existing cold drinks to lure more younger customers in the afternoon.
Taco Bell earlier this year introduced a line of Refrescas beverages as part of its growing focus on drinks.
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