Taco Bell Menu: New Chicago Branch to Offer Alcohol

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Taco Bell will be introducing alcoholic beverages on its menu this summer at a new franchise located in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago.

The Inquisitr reports that this will be the first time that Taco Bell will be including booze onto its menu in U.S.-based branches. However, in Japan, South Korea, and Spain, Taco Bell branches have already included alcoholic beverages on their menus.

Ashley Soison, a representative for Taco Bell, refused to provide additional information concerning the types of alcoholic drinks that will be included on the menu, M Live has learned. She did say, however, that there are no other plans of introducing alcohol to the other Taco Bell branches in the United States.

Meanwhile, Forbes states that the alcoholic beverages that will be appearing on Taco Bell's menu in its Chicago branch will include beer, wine and alcoholic "freezes."

Rob Poetsch, director of public affairs for Taco Bells, has said that one ounce of either rum, tequila or vodka will be added to 16 ounces of freeze, reports USA Today. The alcoholic freezes with be available in several flavors i.e. Mountain Dew Baja Blast, Mountain Dew Sangarita Blast and the Starburst Strawberry Freeze.

As a precaution, all alcoholic beverages will be served in different containers than what the store uses for its soft drinks. In addition, the Yum Brand owned company said that customers will be prohibited from taking their drinks outside of the restaurant.

As another precaution, the Chicago branch will have a third-party secret shopper, who will monitor alcohol sales. USA Today states "...the company contracted an outside company to monitor if employees are checking identification before selling drinks."

As of late, the Chicago-based Taco Bell is still waiting for its liquor license application to be approved.

Other than adding alcohol onto the menu, Taco Bell has recently been making other several changes, partly to attract the millennial crowd.

According to the Inquisitr, the company recently announced its plans for healthier food options on its menus. By the end of 2015, officials say that trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and colors will be eliminated from 95 percent of its locations based in the United States.

Taco Bell is also reportedly changing its overall look as well. The new look comprises exposed brick walls and lime-green stools set along a bar, overlooking an open kitchen, as desribed by M Live. The new design for Taco Bell has already been implemented in branches located in South Korea, Japan, and the United Kingdom.