The Defy will have four drive-thru lanes — or as few as two and as many as six, should the lot size allow.

The design was born during the pandemic when it became clear to Taco Bell franchise operator Border Foods that consumers wanted the convenience of digital ordering and drive-thru pickup more than they wanted dine-in seating, but it had to be faster, smoother and contact free.

Mike Grams, Taco Bell’s president and global chief operating officer, said the franchisor sees the Defy design as an evolution of the tech-forward Go Mobile, which was years in the making.

The first Taco Bell Defy will have a 3,000-square-foot building, with the kitchen upstairs. There is no dine-in seating, though guests have the option of coming in to order from a human or pick up their food, and there will be a few patio seats outside. But the restaurant is designed for to-go business primarily.