Yum! Brands has announced its Mexican-inspired restaurant chain Taco Bell will return to the UK, with a site set to open at the Lakeside shopping centre in June.
The chain, which will serve a menu featuring tacos, burritos, nachos and quesadillas, with prices starting at just 79p, will also continue to seek further locations across the country in high footfall areas.
Nick Dawson, of Taco Bell UK & Europe, said: “The UK is a very important market for Taco Bell. This is a major step in our international expansion, and Lakeside is just the start of our exciting plans in this country.
“There’s a gap in the quick service market for a fresh new concept like ours, and I’m confident that our wide range of exciting new menu items at unbeatable prices will prove very popular over here.”
Taco Bell revival
Yum! first attempted to bring Taco Bell to the UK in the 1980s but its four restaurants closed in the mid-1990s.
The revival of Taco Bell now comes as the Mexican eating out market has expanded by 9 per cent in the last two years.
“Now is the right time to launch Taco Bell here in the UK because people are much more accepting of Mexican food."
Mexican food trend
US burrito restaurant chain Chipotle launched in London last month while homegrown Mexican concepts Chilango and Barburrito are on the expansion trail.
Over the past few years, Yum! Brands has expanded Taco Bell beyond North America and into Europe with restaurants in Spain and Cyprus, as well as launching in India and Dubai.
As of first quarter 2010, there are more than 250 Taco Bell restaurants outside of the United States and approximately 5,600 restaurants in the US.
Martyn Leek is news editor for BigHospitality's sister publication, M&C Report.