Tacos are due to begin flying out the door of the highly anticipated Jesmond Taco Bell when the restaurant, the first in the state, opens to the public on Tuesday.
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Restaurant Brands, the NSW partner for Taco Bell, said the Stockland Jesmond restaurant would open at 11am on December 3, a week after it had to postpone the grand opening due to the store's power needing "some urgent adjustments".
"We are excited to launch Taco Bell here in Newcastle; we are grateful to our fans who have waited so patiently for the same," Ankush Tuli, managing director Asia Pacific Taco Bell, said.
"We will continue to delight them with our exciting innovation and the unique Taco Bell experience, as we open many more locations across the country."
Russel Creedy, Restaurant Brands Group CEO, said $65 million has been committed by the company to establish Taco Bell stores in New Zealand and Australia during the next five years.
He said the expansion includes a minimum of 40 restaurants across NSW and ACT, which will generate more than 2000 jobs in the two states. Currently, the Jesmond store employs 56 people.
"We are delighted to be starting our journey in Jesmond and look forward to launching in Blacktown shortly after," Creedy said.
lark Wilson, general manager Taco Bell at Restaurant Brands, said the team has planned an "epic opening day" to mark the occasion and "launch the brand in true Taco Bell fashion".
"For launch day, we expect to welcome hundreds of excited fans," he said.
"We've prepared an unforgettable day of fun and activities to keep everyone entertained, including a GIF booth, giant interactive games and a temporary taco tattoo station, as well as heaps of giveaways with one lucky person scoring a year of free tacos as a grand prize."
Wilson said the design of the Jesmond store had been carefully planned "ensuring the space is living up to the goal of facilitating the social experience of food".
Features include:
- An open kitchen so customers can see their orders being prepared
- Free Wi-Fi, USB charging stations, kiosk ordering and beacons that give you a 'bell' when your food is ready
- A self-serve music kiosk for fans to curate their own tunes to enjoy while dining
- A large bell that customers can ring to show their appreciation of the service they have received
- On the menu, customers can enjoy global favourites like the Crunchwrap Supreme, Cheesy Gordita Crunch, Grilled Stuft Burrito and Crunchy Taco Supreme
EARLIER STORY: Jesmond Taco Bell store opening delayed
During a VIP event at the Jesmond store on November 21, Torri Gregory and Brittny Morriss, Taco Bell assistant general managers, told The Star they were excited for the grand opening.
"I worked at another fast food chain for 10 years but Taco Bell is so different. It's a completely different vibe - so friendly and fun. The team has really bonded well. We can't wait to start serving customers," Ms Gregory said.
Taco Bell is a popular Mexican fast food chain from the United States.
The chain first tried to launch into Australia in 1981 and then again in 1997 but with no success. It launched into Australia again in 2017, opening seven stores in Queensland which remain open to this day.
The Jesmond store will be the first in NSW, to be followed by another in Blacktown which is expected to open mid-December.