Big news for Chicago Taco Bell fans: Booze is on the way.
The chain says that this summer it will serve beer, wine and “mixed alcohol freezes” at a new Chicago location, the Associated Press reports. There were strong hints that this was coming, but now it’s official. After Taco Bell applied for a liquor license in May, Thrillist reported—using information obtained in what must have been a highly entertaining Freedom of Information Act request—that Taco Bell plans to serve draft beer from Corona and a local brewery, as well as “Twisted Freezes,” described as “Frozen Beverages featuring Vodka, Tequila, or Rum.”
The restaurant will also have a new design, specifically created for urban areas, and already launched in South Korea, Japan and the United Kingdom. Included in the decor will be lime green stools, an open kitchen, exposed brick, and work from local artists.
Taco Bell is not the only American fast-food chain now using design to lure in more customers. Many are targeting millennials in their design, as Nation’s Restaurant News reported in April, with features like open kitchens—which give a feeling of transparency—and quirky, photogenic decor to encourage conversation and social media sharing. This is a substantial departure from the fast-food restaurant designs of yore; the inside of a Burger King is nearly indistinguishable from the interior of a McDonald’s or KFC, and all are designed to encourage eating fast. Taco Bell is also not the first chain to offer booze to its patrons. LYFE Kitchen, for example, offers local craft beer and wine on tap, and some Starbucks sell liquor, too.