Taco Bell seduces Londoners with beer

The first thing you'll notice at Taco Bell's new London office is the beer counter.

In the United States, the fast-food chain is geared to families and people on the move, but as it grows in Europe, it serves more and more girls around the world wishing to drink beer in front of burritos and churros.

This week, Taco Bell returned to the London market after about two decades, opening four new sites as part of a broader European expansion.

The food tastes the same as in the US, but there are many design differences you notice at London locations: from the open kitchen layout to the trendy wallpaper with colorful wall murals and long tables with bar stools to eat in large groups.

In addition, the food is not packaged in the same way as it does in the United States.

"In the United States, many of our customers contact us by road or food, so you have to pack it to stay warm," says Jorge Torres, Taco Bell General Manager for Europe. "European consumers are much more likely to sit down to eat their food on the spot. We therefore serve open plates, which we have also seen, means more sharing of images on social networks. "

The chain opened offices in London in the late 1980s, but in the 1990s, the British said "No Quiero Taco Bell" and they all closed their doors.

So why come back now?

"Mexican cuisine is very present in Europe," said Torres. "And social media allowed us to better assess Taco Bell's demand."

The arrival of Chipotle in the United Kingdom has raised the profile of Mexican-inspired chains, but it also means that Taco Bell has been largely competing with established local competitors, such as Tortilla and Wahaca restaurants.

Taco Bell hopes that affordable prices will differentiate it. There is a "Quality Cravers Menu" and the "Tacos Tuesday" will feature a taco and a beer for only £ 2 ($ 2.50).

The biggest challenge facing Taco Bell in the UK is Brexit.

"It's really all the uncertainty around Brexit," said Torres, "we import many ingredients from continental Europe and our revenues are ultimately expressed in dollars, so the fluctuation of the pound is a challenge.

But the challenge is not enough to prevent Taco Bell from investing in London.

Yum! Brands that own KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell believe that, to continue to grow, they must be better represented in the English capital.

There are 7,000 Taco Bell in the world and 9,000 of them by 2022.

In Europe, Spain has the largest number of Taco Bell with 50 locations and by the end of 2018. The United Kingdom. is defined to have 30.