‘Taco Mode’ option routes to restaurants during rides
Taco Bell Corp. will launch a limited trial Thursday of an in-app option to let Lyft passengers add a restaurant stop on their ride, the company announced today.
The test will begin Thursday in California and run through Sunday, the Irving, Calif.-based quick-service company said.
In introducing the Taco Mode option, Taco Bell cited a national consumer study for Lyft, completed in June, that found Millennials are more likely to use a ride-sharing app on a night out than at any other time.
"We realized that for every person who has asked their Lyft driver to make a pit-stop at Taco Bell - and we've seen many - there are likely those who weren't sure if this was possible,” said Marisa Thalberg, CMO of Taco Bell Corp., in statement.
Taco Bell rolled out its mobile order-pay app nationwide in October 2014 and has added options since.
Mintel Group Ltd., the research firm, found one in four consumers are now summoning rides with the swipe of a smartphone screen.
"We enjoy bringing new experiences to life for our passengers, and Taco Mode allows them to extend the night in a way that hasn't been done before,” said Melissa Waters, Lyft's head of marketing, in a statement.
“We're combining two of our passengers' favorite activities -- a night out with friends and enjoying Taco Bell -- which means there is even more of the night to love," Waters said.
In addition to the ability to grab takeout in between destinations, users will gain access to a custom in-car menu, a tricked-out taco-themed car and free Doritos Locos Tacos during the trial run.
For riders in Orange County, Calif., the first round of tests will begin Thursday and end Saturday. A second test is planned for Aug. 3-Aug.5.
The service will be available to riders who summon pick-ups between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. PDT.
As for the rest of the country, all signs point to Crunchwraps in the ride-sharing future with a planned national rollout penciled in for 2018.
Taco Bell Corp. is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands Inc. and has more than 7,000 in the United States and more than 250 abroad.
Contact Dan Orlando at [email protected]
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