A first-of-its-kind Taco Bell is now open here in Minnesota. The chain says they are "redefining drive-thrus as consumers know it with one of its most innovative Taco Bell restaurant designs yet." The futuristic fast-food restaurant features a new way to deliver food to customers in their cars.

On the company's website, Taco Bell's president Mike Grams called the new Taco Bell, "an incredible innovation for our brand, and one that’s meeting our consumer in a really unique way." Grams said the goal of the new restaurant is to improve customer experience with the "goal of creating a 2 minute or less drive-thru experience for customers of this concept." Check out where the new restaurant is and what it looks like below.

Taco Bell is the Most Popular Taco in Minnesota

In 2021, Top Agency released a map below which shows the most popular taco in each state. Here in Minnesota, it's Taco Bell.

The newest Taco Bell restaurant is the only one of its kind in the entire world and is now open here in Minnesota. It's called "Taco Bell Defy" and you can see what it looks like below.

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This new Taco Bell features state-of-the-art technology including digital check-in screens, two-way audio and video communication services, but it's the drive-thru concept that really stands out.

Did you know there are over 7,000 Taco Bell locations in the world?

The newest one, "Taco Bell Defy" opened on Tuesday, June 7th in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota and features a four-lane drive-thru. The company says, "the first of its kind two-story model delivers innovative technology and design, like a proprietary vertical lift to transport iconic craveable Taco Bell menu items straight from the kitchen to fans."

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Customers can place orders in the drive-thru lane, on the app, or website, and then the employees, stationed on the second floor, go to work preparing the food. Once the order is ready it is lowered down to the customer through a tube (see below).

The taco chain teamed up with Minneapolis-based Vertical Works Inc. on the project with the goal of reinventing the drive-thru experience.

Josh Hanson, co-founder of Vertical Works said, “We applied our innovative approach to problem-solving to create a brand new way for consumers to access fast food. We know today’s consumer expects a convenient and memorable experience, and the Taco Bell Defy concept delivers on both.”

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Lee Engler is the co-founder and CEO of Border Foods which is Taco Bell's parent company. Engler said, “Taco Bell Defy embodies the innovative, entrepreneurial spirit of Minnesota businesses and franchisees. It is a creative, technological solution for a faster, contactless experience for as many Taco Bell fans as possible and is poised to be the future of quick-service dining.”

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After a customer places an order the employees prepare the food and it is delivered down to their car in tubes. (see below)

The goal is to improve wait times and get customers in and out within 2-minutes or less.

Taco Bell Defy is located at 94th Avenue North in Brooklyn Park.

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An article in QSR magazine last year said the average order at Taco Bell took about 4.5 minutes to complete. Only time will tell if this new concept will help the restaurant cut  2.5 minutes off of wait times, but it is a pretty cool idea.

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