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Taco Bell’s new app for easy ordering launches later this year, better stock up on toilet paper

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slider_tacos_fiery_2013

I’ll be the first to admit, I love me some Taco Bell. The subject of my late night cravings, you can usually find me at my local Taco Bell between the hours of 11pm-2am on any given weekend. With so many items on the menu, I’ve often found it difficult to quickly browse for something new, especially when a big line of cars is building up behind me. Who would have guess that Taco Bell knows this feeling well. They even have a name for it: “menu board anxiety.”

To help combat this common condition, Taco Bell has begun testing a new mobile app that allows customers to place orders using their smartphones with little fuss. The app will not only allow customers to pick from any item on the menu, but customize said orders to their liking. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to repeat an order, because of an issue with the intercom, or perhaps my unusually soft voice.

Taco Bell Mobile App Test - Screenshot

I know what you’re thinking — what if you take too long to arrive and the food is already cold? Nobody likes cold beef in their taco. To ensure your food is the freshest (and hottest) it can be, your local Taco Bell wont even begin preparing your order until they know you’re close by. How would they know that? Well, the app uses the built in the GPS on your smartphone to ping the restaurant when you’re pulling up. Genius, right?

Orders can be placed using giftcards or with credit cards, and for creatures of habit, the app even allows customers to save their favorite items/combos for easy ordering. Currently there are 5 locations in Orange County (Southern California) that have begun testing this new service which began nearly 2 years ago. Nationwide expansion is planned for later on in the year. Yo quiero Taco Bell.

[NRN]

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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40 Comments

  1. “Nobody likes cold beef in their taco”

    Umm, that’s what she said!
    But will taco bell deliver to Australia???? We no longer have stores here :(

    1. Wait- seriously? What the heck is going on in Australia? Drastically improved food laws? :O

      1. Yeah, unfortunately departed our shores around 05, and was the sole store in Sydney so i had to travel interstate just to get some! Dunno about improved food laws, a new McDonalds store seems to pop up every month in random locations! The best we have is a place called Guzman y Gomez – mind you it is pretty good!

  2. I’m all over this

  3. Eat at TACO BELL, wipe with WHITE CASTLE, or vice versa……….

  4. Chris if you’re at Taco Bell that often you’re either way high or way drunk. lol

  5. This is why I love technology! I can’t wait to customize like crazy.

  6. Stock up on toilet paper?

    1. For the diarrhea you will inevitably get from eating Taco Bell.

      1. I’m 34 years old and have eaten taco bell at least twice a week my ENTIRE life and I’ve never once got diarrhea or sick from their food.

        1. Then you sir, have an iron stomach. I do too, but I still don’t eat Taco Bell.

          1. Ya I don’t know about that. I live in a city where you can’t drive more then two blocks without hitting a taco bell. There’s literally probably 50 of them here. My kids both eat it all the time and I know TONS of people that do and this is honestly the first time I’ve ever heard someone claim that taco bell causes sickness on a regular basis. Just kinda weird…

        2. I don’t eat Taco Bell THAT often. Maybe once a month (if that), but I’ve never gotten sick or diarrhea from it either.

          I’ve definitely seen people say they “get this shits” after eating Taco Bell, though. So, it can’t be an anomaly. I guess we just have strong stomachs. Yay.

        3. Holy Sh*t…dude you’re going to die at 50. Do you know what taco bell is made from? It is a “food substitute” at best…dam you must be like tree fiddy

        4. I’m 34 years old weigh 400 lbs, and nothing satisfies my hunger during World of Warcraft dungeon raids than one Nacho XL, 2 Chalupa’s, 4 Doritos taco’s, 2 gallons of mountain dew like 4th meal. Diarrhea is irrelevant since I relocated my computer desk to the bathroom. Viva La Taco Bell.

      2. Diarrhea also goes back INTO their taco “meat”.

        (Taco Bell’s probably lost millions in business thanks to the bad rap they got from employees taking a sh1t in the meat a couple years ago)

        1. First I’ve ever heard that too…

    2. Because you’ll take the gnarliest s**t of your life about two hours after 4 $1 burritos with reconstituted mechanically separated “beef and beef by-product” and a pint of fire sauce.

      But it will be tasty

      1. Never happened… Actually with all this taco bell talk I think I’m gonna go grab some for the third night in a row…

  7. Up to 30% beef. On a good day.

  8. The chili cheese burrito is BACK! I encourage all to try this tasty wonder that was prominent in the 90’s!

  9. BEST__HEADLINE__EVER

  10. This is a fast food game changer. we have all always wanted drive thru’s to do this and taco bell steps up to the plate. Can i prepay with a credit card as well?

    1. Read the last paragraph.

      1. My bad this article made me so hungry I stopped paying attention and started driving to taco bell. That really was right in front of my face. Did anyone get to try the the Stuffed nacho? apparently they stopped selling it before I ever got to try it.

        1. Still sell it here… They keep stuff in regions it does well and axes them in others.

        2. not as good as i expected and was really messy

  11. Welcome to the border, can I take your f***ing order?

  12. what if I have my GPS turned off (it conserves battery)?

    1. GPS really only uses battery when an app is actively accessing (some apps do access it more than necessary though. (unlike wifi)

      In addition, most android apps (built to android guidelines) use multiple location inputs. Now cell tower triangulation would be pretty useless for this purpose since it isn’t precise enough, but if you had wifi on it’s definitely accurate enough….especially considering almost every taco bell has free wifi anyways, so in addition to knowing your location it could just look for it’s own wifi ssid to pop up 100-300 feet (wifi range) sounds about right when I’d want them to start my order.

      People generally use GPS as a catch all to refer to any location service including sGPS, aGPS, glonass, wifi location, and 2g/3g/4g location, although it’s possible this could only use actually sGPS for one reason or another.

      also as a back up if I’ve already paid, why not just have them include a backup button, START COOKING WHEN I PUSH THIS!, could be useful when you’ve just made a 100 tacos and beer run for the party.

      1. not in uk..sob..sob

  13. Taco Bell is pretty much nonexistent in Canada (and KFC)… and I consider that to be a good thing

  14. Taco Bellyache?

  15. Just a step towards getting rid of the workers running the drive through and cash registers and replacing them with touch screens where you order and pay. This is what happens when there are threats of raising the minimum wage. While there may be small advantages to this for the customer, these are definitely NOT the reasons behind it.

  16. Lol at vast diverse menu

  17. You don’t eat Taco bell you experience Taco Bell. The fourth meal usually involves four late night psychotic thumper dumper episodes. Every Taco Bell should include a sign “Eat at your Own Risk”.

  18. grosss…

  19. Love the title Chris

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