Taco Bell New Zealand has announced the launch of two new restaurants, both expected to open their doors this coming summer. The new restaurants will be number three and four for taco mad Kiwi fans, with one opening in the Stoneridge on Lunn development in East Auckland and the other in Taupiri, Waikato.
Auckland’s third restaurant, Stoneridge on Lunn, is located at a central retail point positioned on the high profile corner of Ngahue Drive and Lunn Ave in Stonefields. Since the development of the area over the last 10 years, Lunn Ave has become a popular shopping destination for the immediate suburbs and will be further bolstered with the arrival of the world famous Taco Bell brand.
The addition of Taco Bell to the portfolio will create some real excitement in the area.
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Taco Bell to Stoneridge on Lunn. The latest addition to our family of tenants nicely complements the mix of other existing tenancies,” commented Scott Gibbons, CEO of Gibbons Property Investments, who is responsible for the development of the centre.
Proving to be a brand beyond the typical quick-service restaurant, customers of Taco Bell Stoneridge on Lunn will be treated to a full dining experience including a range of beer and delicious frozen margaritas for adult guests. Self-serve kiosks will be available for easy ordering with the restaurant designed to cater for both dine-in and take-out.
Local fans will delight in the news that delivery will also be offered to neighbouring suburbs for those that want the convenience of hot Tacos and Burritos delivered directly to their door.
The East Auckland opening will come just over a year since Taco Bell New Zealand first launched its highly anticipated flagship restaurant, to extra-ordinary fanfare with over 500 people lining up to enjoy their first taste of Taco Bell’s famous menu at The Brickworks in New Lynn.
In a first for Taco Bell NZ and fans alike, the fourth new restaurant near Taupiri will feature a handy drive-thru so customers can grab their favourite Mexican inspired menu items on the go. The region’s first Taco Bell will be conveniently located at the Waikato Expressway Service Centre, a popular choice for travellers to refuel their vehicles and take the opportunity to refuel themselves.
COVID-19 may have briefly disrupted the roll out, however, the new restaurants will offer more employment opportunities.
“Understandably, COVID-19 has meant that our Taco Bell New Zealand rollout was temporarily slowed but we are pleased to be back opening restaurants, serving delicious tacos and burritos to our fans,” said Arif Khan, NZ CEO of Restaurant Brands, which operates Taco Bell in New Zealand.
“As well as this, we’ll be providing employment benefits to the local area by actively recruiting 30 new staff members for each of the new restaurants.”
During the new location announcements, came the news that the brand would soon be expanding on its generous vegetarian offering with a fully vegan-friendly menu addition called the ‘Verde range’. Featuring dedicated vegan ingredients, available with pre-built combinations for guests looking for meat-free-alternatives to enjoy.
