Nearly 700 Taco Bell fans lined up as early as 9:30 a.m. Sept. 16 for the afternoon opening of Live Más Café in Irvine.
But it wasn’t for chalupas. They wanted to be among the first to sip specialty iced coffees and “Refrescas.”
The new beverage concept from the Mexican fast food chain opened within an existing Taco Bell restaurant at the University Town Center near UC Irvine.
The concept reimagines Taco Bell as a coffee shop-style hangout with a menu of more than 20 coffee and aqua fresca beverages made to order by “Bellristas.”
Lotus Ruiz, who drove an hour from Los Angeles to attend the opening, said she learned about Live Más Café on Instagram. As a Taco Bell fan, she felt compelled to make the trek.
“Me and my partner always get Taco Bell — it is our go-to fast food,” Ruiz said. “I just really like it, and it’s very nostalgic for the both of us.”
Ruiz and others enjoyed complimentary Mexican mocha iced coffees and strawberry limonada Refrescas after a 1 p.m. ribbon cutting at the grand opening. The event coincided with the opening of a San Diego location the same day. A test location launched in Chula Vista last year.
“I heard they had opened one in Chula Vista but that’s a little far,” Ruiz said of the San Diego County city near the U.S.-Mexican border. “It is cool to have one a little closer.”
Ruiz may not have to drive far for long though, as Taco Bell plans to open 30 Live Más Cafés within existing restaurants by the end of 2025. The push is part of the Irvine-based brand’s ongoing interest in venturing into the beverage market.
“We’re seeing today that people, especially younger consumers, are reaching for refreshing drinks as part of their lifestyle, whether it’s for energy or a sweet treat throughout the day,” Liz Matthews, Taco Bell’s global chief food innovation officer, said in a news release.
Last year, Taco Bell tested a line of Agua Refrescas at another Irvine Taco Bell, which eventually launched nationwide. According to Matthews, the company hopes to reach $5 billion in beverage sales by 2030.
“We’re making big investments to become the ultimate beverage stop where our fans can expect to see the same bold, unexpected creativity in their cups as they do on their plates,” Matthews said.
Guests placed orders on digital kiosks that included Refrescas made with freeze-dried fruit pieces and green tea for a caffeine boost, as well as a slushy variation known as a Refresca Freeze.
Ruiz said she most enjoyed the Mexican mocha iced coffee’s subtle sweetness.
“It has a slight chocolate flavor but nothing too heavy,” she said. “It’s actually pretty refreshing.”