IRVINE, CALIF. —Looking to reduce unit-level energy costs by as much as $5,900 annually, Taco Bell said it would expand the use of a Grill-to-Order cooking station already in place at 3,000 stores to an additional 2,600 units.
The new equipment package also delivers “a temperature improvement of products containing grilled tortillas and flat bread,” according to the chain, which is owned by Louisville, Ky.-based Yum! Brands Inc. —Looking to reduce unit-level energy costs by as much as $5,900 annually, Taco Bell said it would expand the use of a Grill-to-Order cooking station already in place at 3,000 stores to an additional 2,600 units.
Taco Bell did not say what new products might be introduced systemwide after completing the grill’s rollout. The chain expects all 5,600 Taco Bell units to have the new grills by 2010. —Looking to reduce unit-level energy costs by as much as $5,900 annually, Taco Bell said it would expand the use of a Grill-to-Order cooking station already in place at 3,000 stores to an additional 2,600 units.
In announcing the roll-out, Taco Bell touted the conservation aspects of the equipment. It pegged the chainwide energy savings at about 200 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually. —Looking to reduce unit-level energy costs by as much as $5,900 annually, Taco Bell said it would expand the use of a Grill-to-Order cooking station already in place at 3,000 stores to an additional 2,600 units.
“Systemwide, we’ll save more than $17 million a year for our company and franchise restaurants,” Rick Winfree, senior director of engineering, said, adding that test units saw savings of $5,900 annually. —Looking to reduce unit-level energy costs by as much as $5,900 annually, Taco Bell said it would expand the use of a Grill-to-Order cooking station already in place at 3,000 stores to an additional 2,600 units.
The chain partnered with Southern California Edison and its Foodservice Technology Center to validate the energy savings of the new Grill-to-Order line. SCE has applauded the new cooking method, calling it an energy management success story. —Looking to reduce unit-level energy costs by as much as $5,900 annually, Taco Bell said it would expand the use of a Grill-to-Order cooking station already in place at 3,000 stores to an additional 2,600 units.
Taco Bell said the system would also save 300 million gallons of water annually, but the company did not say how the electric grills would conserve water. —Looking to reduce unit-level energy costs by as much as $5,900 annually, Taco Bell said it would expand the use of a Grill-to-Order cooking station already in place at 3,000 stores to an additional 2,600 units.
“Companies like Taco Bell have taken a proactive step in cutting back water use and thinking of alternative ways to offer a product that is not only good for their customer but good for the environment, too,” said Park Howell, founder of Water—Use it Wisely, a national campaign to educate individuals on the importance of water conservation. —Looking to reduce unit-level energy costs by as much as $5,900 annually, Taco Bell said it would expand the use of a Grill-to-Order cooking station already in place at 3,000 stores to an additional 2,600 units.
“Every ounce of water saved using the new cooking method will benefit the communities Taco Bell serves,” Howell said. —Looking to reduce unit-level energy costs by as much as $5,900 annually, Taco Bell said it would expand the use of a Grill-to-Order cooking station already in place at 3,000 stores to an additional 2,600 units.
Warren Widicus, Taco Bell’s chief officer of growth, hopes the move to the new cooking method demonstrates to the chain’s customers how important it is for everyone to make efforts to become more environmentally friendly. —Looking to reduce unit-level energy costs by as much as $5,900 annually, Taco Bell said it would expand the use of a Grill-to-Order cooking station already in place at 3,000 stores to an additional 2,600 units.
“We hope to show our customers that even small, every-day changes can lead to conservation and sustainability,” Widicus said. “Whether you take shorter showers, turn off the water while brushing your teeth or purchase a Grill-to-Order menu item, you can save water and impact the environment in a positive way without even thinking about it.” —Looking to reduce unit-level energy costs by as much as $5,900 annually, Taco Bell said it would expand the use of a Grill-to-Order cooking station already in place at 3,000 stores to an additional 2,600 units.
Other quick-service chains also have moved in recent times to adopt more energy-efficient cooking methods. For example, in the last year Burger King also rolled out new energy-efficient grills at its operations. —Looking to reduce unit-level energy costs by as much as $5,900 annually, Taco Bell said it would expand the use of a Grill-to-Order cooking station already in place at 3,000 stores to an additional 2,600 units.
