Taco Bell's Live Más Café Expands to Texas
Taco Bell is bringing its Live Más Café concept to Texas. To continue its push to transform itself into a beverage powerhouse, the fast food giant will open a Dallas location on November 6 and a Houston spot on November 20.
Earlier this year, Taco Bell announced it’s targeting 30 new cafés by the end of 2025, with plans to expand the concept nationwide eventually. The company aims for $5 billion in beverage sales by 2030 - a figure that would match the entire system-wide sales of chains like Raising Cane's, KFC, or Olive Garden. That's no small feat considering Taco Bell ended 2024 with about $16.2 billion in domestic sales.
The numbers speak for themselves. Taco Bell has already sold more than 600 million beverages through August 2025 - a 16% jump from the previous year. Even more telling: 62% of all Taco Bell orders now include a drink, showing customers are increasingly viewing the chain as a beverage destination.
Early California locations are exceeding expectations. The Irvine café that opened in September is already moving more than 900 drinks daily, with one in three orders featuring a Live Más Café-specific beverage. Located across from University of California, Irvine, the spot has proven ideal for capturing Gen Z customers - the demographic responsible for this shift in consumer behavior.
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"Live Más Café was created in response to what we're seeing from Gen Z, a real cultural shift where beverages are becoming lifestyle drivers," said Taylor Montgomery, Taco Bell's global chief brand officer. "We've always been about bold innovation, but not just for the sake of it. We do it to create connection and give our fans more moments to live más throughout the day."
The café features over 20 handcrafted drinks prepared by "Bellristas," ranging from Refrescas to specialty coffees and seasonal offerings like the Caramel Apple Empanada Chiller.
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Taco Bell isn't alone in this beverage arms race. McDonald's recently disbanded its CosMc's beverage concept but incorporated lessons learned into new drink innovations. Wendy's has expanded its beverage lineup as part of its 2025 strategy, while specialty chains like 7 Brew, Dutch Bros, and Scooter's Coffee continue experiencing explosive growth.
