Imagine this scenario: it’s late and you’ve had a few drinks (of the alcoholic variety). You have a craving for Taco Bell, but you don’t want to drink and drive. The closest Taco Bell is miles away and you definitely aren’t planning to literally “run to the border” after a few cocktails, craft beers, and Zimas. What are your options? Are you just going to go to bed, hungry and sad because you didn’t get your taco fix? Heck no. You’re going to hop into a Lyft and take a ride to your neighborhood T-Bell to stuff yourself silly with Gorditas, Nachos Bellgrande, and XXL Chalupas.
A few years ago, Taco Bell changed the fast food game by offering delivery in select markets. This week, they announced a partnership with ridesharing company Lyft to drive you directly to the famous Mexican-inspired fast food chain. And they aren’t just going to take you to the restaurant and drop you off to fend for yourself. They will take you through the drive-thru like you’re some kind of teenage millionaire without a care in the world. Simply open the Lyft app, select “Taco Mode” and you’re just minutes from beefy, spicy, cheesy fast food heaven.
“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. With the advent of this fantastic partnership with Lyft, we will erase any lingering uncertainty and celebrate the ability to ‘ride-thru’ in Taco Mode,” Marisa Thalberg, Chief Marketing Officer, Taco Bell Corp said in a press release.
To celebrate the launch of this new promotion, special “Taco Mode” Lyft cards will have in-car menus, a taco-themed interior, free “swag”, and a free Doritos Locos Taco when you use the app to stop at Taco Bell on the way to your final destination between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m.
This all sounds well and good, but unfortunately it’s only in the testing phase. The first market is Orange County, California on July 27th-29th and August 3rd-5th. So, if you live on the east coast (or anywhere other than the OC) you’ll just have to walk to Taco Bell, stay sober, find a designated driver, or ask your mom for a ride. Live in The OC? Then it’s your duty to get in on this!
If all goes well, addition cities will be added throughout the next few months and “Taco Mode” will be available everywhere in 2018. Now that’s a late-night game changer.
