Following the Mexican-inspired restaurant chain's arrival in Auckland last year, Taco Bell is set to open a new free-standing eatery in Christchurch. The restaurant will be built on a site at Eastgate Mall in the suburb of Linwood.
Long queues formed when Taco Bell opened its first New Zealand restaurant at LynnMall in west Auckland last year which was followed by a second outlet in central Auckland in June. The chain recently announced its summer expansion which includes a store in the Stoneridge on Lunn development in East Auckland and another in Taupiri, Waikato.
Taco Bell is owned in New Zealand by Restaurant Brands, which also has the New Zealand rights to KFC, Pizza Hut, Carl’s Jr and Starbucks.
Eastgate Mall’s owner, Asset Plus Ltd, has applied to Christchurch City Council for resource consent for the project and has also advised the stock exchange that it has signed a 10-year lease with Restaurant Brands.
The 250sq m restaurant is expected to open next year. It will have a drive-through connecting to the KFC drive-through next door.
“The development is anticipated to assist in attracting a wider customer base to Eastgate, which is expected to have positive flow-on benefits for the wider centre,” said Asset Plus in its statement to the stock exchange.
