Taco Bell today revealed it is going all in. This fall, the eatery will open a flagship restaurant in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip – complete with the unique and social dining features of new Taco Bell Cantina restaurants.

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The new Las Vegas Taco Bell Cantina will feature an outdoor patio for al fresco dining experiences,  ...

The new Las Vegas Taco Bell Cantina will feature an outdoor patio for al fresco dining experiences, digital displays and offerings unique to the Las Vegas experience. (Photo: Business Wire)

Perfect for breakfast through a fourthmeal, or a pit stop on a road trip through the desert, the new 24-hour Taco Bell Cantina restaurant will have a design specific to the sparkle and flare of Vegas, with unique décor, an open kitchen layout, community seating and shareable menu items. The Cantina will offer a dining atmosphere fit for the lifestyle of the Vegas Strip, inclusive of experiences that are uniquely Taco Bell.

“Expansion into urban markets is a key focus for us both this year and over the course of the next several years,” said Brian Niccol, Chief Executive Officer at Taco Bell Corp. “When we talked about where to establish a flagship store, it didn’t take long to realize that having a presence in the heart of Vegas would undoubtedly create a unique, distinctive and fun destination and experience for Taco Bell fans.”

The new Las Vegas Taco Bell Cantina will be centrally-located on the Las Vegas Strip on Harmon Corner, directly across from CityCenter and The Cosmopolitan Hotel. The two-story restaurant will feature an outdoor patio for al fresco dining experiences, digital displays and offerings unique to the Las Vegas experience. Designed to set the stage for a social dining experience, the restaurant will serve alcohol, including beer and Twisted Freezes – a unique offering provided only in Taco Bell Cantina locations. Diners can pair their Twisted Freezes with one of the tapas-style menu items exclusive to Cantina restaurants – including nachos and rolled tacos – during designated hours each evening.

Taco Bell first introduced the Cantina restaurant concept in 2015 with two store openings. In that same year, Taco Bell opened over 275 new restaurants, remodeled approximately 600 more, and is currently on pace to exceed both of those numbers in 2016. Of the 2,000 restaurants planned to be built by 2022, 200 will be urban locations – a typically underrepresented geographic area for the brand.

Atlanta is currently being explored for the next urban development, while numerous cities across the U.S. are also under consideration for future locations. These include major metropolitan areas from New York, Boston and Ohio to smaller cities with revitalizing downtown areas like Berkeley, Austin and Fayetteville.

About Taco Bell Corp.

Taco Bell Corp., a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), is the nation's leading Mexican-inspired quick service restaurant (QSR) brand. From breakfast to late night, Taco Bell serves made-to-order and customizable tacos and burritos, among other craveable choices, and is the first QSR restaurant to offer American Vegetarian Association (AVA)-certified menu items. Taco Bell and its more than 350 franchise organizations proudly serve over 42 million customers each week through nearly 7,000 restaurants across the nation, as well as through its mobiledesktop and delivery ordering services. Overseas, Taco Bell has over 250 restaurants, with plans to add 2,000 more restaurants internationally within the next decade. The brand encourages its fans to “Live Mas” and connects with them through sports, gaming and new music via its Feed The Beat® music program. Taco Bell also provides education opportunities and serves the community through its nonprofit organization, the Taco Bell® Foundation™, and connects fans with their passions through programs such as the Live Mas Scholarship program. In 2016, Taco Bell was named as one of Fast Company’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in the World.

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