Taco Bell tries to woo younger customers with Live Más Café's flashy beverages

Core Insights - Taco Bell is focusing on beverages with its new Live Más Café concept, aiming to generate a $5 billion drink business by 2030 [3][21] - The chain has already sold over 600 million beverages this year, marking a 16% increase from the previous year [4][20] - The Live Más Café format is integrated within existing Taco Bell locations, allowing customers to order drinks at kiosks and watch the preparation [2][5] Company Strategy - Taco Bell plans to expand the Live Más Café to 30 locations by the end of the year, targeting Southern California, Dallas, and Houston [1][3] - The beverage menu includes churro chillers, specialty coffees, refrescas, and seasonal favorites, designed to appeal to younger consumers [6][7] - The chain is leveraging the beverage trend to attract Generation Z and millennials, who are more inclined to experiment with food and drink options [14][15] Sales Performance - The Irvine location is selling over 900 drinks per day, with more than a third of orders including a Live Más Café item [9][10] - The Chula Vista location has exceeded sales forecasts, selling over 750 beverages daily, with a quarter of transactions including a Live Más Café beverage [10][11] - Taco Bell's same-store sales grew by 4% in the second quarter, outperforming many fast-food competitors [21][20] Market Trends - The beverage market among the top 500 chains has grown by over 9% in the past year, indicating a shift in consumer preferences towards innovative drink options [13][14] - Competitors like Shake Shack and Chick-fil-A are also focusing on beverage innovations, highlighting a broader industry trend [12][11] - Younger consumers are driving the trend towards customization and premium beverage offerings, which Taco Bell aims to capitalize on [15][16]