TACO BELL$(R)$ UNVEILS BOLD BUSINESS STRATEGY FOR A RELENTLESSLY 
INNOVATIVE FUTURE 
 
 
   PR Newswire 
 
 
   IRVINE, Calif., March 4, 2025 
 
   With ambitions to double innovation, the brand is sharing exclusive 
insights into its plan to 
 
 
   R.I.N.G. The Bell for winning in the years ahead 
 
 
   TLDR: 
 
 
   -- Taco Bell announces its business growth plan, R.I.N.G. The Bell: 
 
      Relentlessly Innovative Next-Generation Growth. 
 
 
 
   -- After reaching a milestone of $1 billion in operating profit in 2024, 
 
      Taco Bell launches off last year's momentum to drive double the 
 
      innovation in 2025. 
 
 
 
   -- Ahead of Live Más LIVE 2025, Taco Bell reveals how it aims to 
 
      redefine its global brand experience across menus, service, operations 
 
      and tech. 
 
 
 
   -- Stay up to date with Live Más LIVE 2025 on social and 
 
      www.tacobell.com/livemaslive. 
 
 
 
   -- Investor materials can be found here. 
 
 
   IRVINE, Calif., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Following an impressive 
year of innovation on and off the menu, Taco Bell is giving investors 
and fans alike even more reason to believe in the brand's magic for 
2025. 
 
 
 
   Taco Bell is sharing its business strategy via a unique investor event, 
Consumer Day, in partnership with parent company Yum! Brands. Ahead of 
the product previews coming tonight at Live Más LIVE, Taco Bell is 
kicking off a day of unmatched brand access by providing updates on its 
financial milestones, restaurant experience evolution, digital 
investments, international expansion efforts and menu approach. 
 
 
   "People love our brand because we do things differently," said Sean 
Tresvant, CEO of Taco Bell. "But we also mean business; we have a strong 
strategy that keeps our consumers and restaurant teams top of mind. The 
bold swings will only get bigger as we continue to chase greatness. We 
had an impressive year thanks to fans and team members, so we're 
grounding our 2025 strategy around them." 
 
   A Delicious 2024 
 
 
   Despite industry-wide headwinds, Taco Bell outperformed the QSR category 
with a momentum-filled 2024 featuring a year of U.S. same-store sales 
growth in all four quarters. 
 
 
   The company reached a milestone of $1 billion in profit for the first 
time ever in 2024, with over 24% restaurant level margins in 
company-owned stores following customer appetite for its deliciously 
disruptive endeavors. Technological and operational investments unlocked 
32% growth in digital sales, totaling $6 billion. 
 
 
   Menu creativity was propelled by the brand's long-standing dedication to 
value and abundance, including new protein launches, box deals, 
flavorful sauces, fresh ingredients, nostalgic throwbacks and unexpected 
collabs. 
 
 
   The love of tacos expanded as Taco Bell opened 347 gross-new locations 
across 25 countries, bringing total restaurant locations to 8,757. 
 
   Already a Supreme 2025 
 
 
   Coming off a hot 2024, Taco Bell's outstanding performance is carrying 
into the first quarter, with U.S. same-store sales projected to increase 
8% in Q1 2025 as crave-worthy new product offerings have helped 
accelerate momentum and boost traffic. But the magic is just beginning. 
Taco Bell will continue fueling unparalleled growth by elevating the 
experience across the entire business, evolving into so much more than 
just a quick-service restaurant brand. 
 
 
   Taco Bell plans to continue growing operating profit, guided by a 
strategic plan to R.I.N.G. The Bell with all initiatives in pursuit of 
Relentlessly Innovative Next-Generation Growth. 
 
 
   By 2030, the company is aiming to: 
 
 
   -- Accelerate U.S. growth by increasing annual average unit volumes from 
 
      $2.2 million to $3 million. 
 
 
 
   -- Ignite international growth, with global footprint to expand from 1,150 
 
      locations as of 2024 to over 3,000 restaurants outside the U.S. 
 
   What's on the "Menu" for Growth 
 
 
   With a focus on doubling innovation throughout the business, key 
ingredients of Taco Bell's R.I.N.G. The Bell strategy moving forward 
include: 
 
 
   -- Food Innovation: Broadening and elevating the brand by exploring more 
 
      categories for more occasions. 
 
 
 
          -- Aiming for Cantina Chicken Menu items to reach $5 billion in 
 
             system sales and beverages to reach $5 billion in system sales by 
 
             2030, fueled by efforts like the drinks-focused concept 
 
             Live Más Café. 
 
 
 
   -- Unmatched Value: Offering an even greater selection of affordable options 
 
      that leave customers feeling abundantly satisfied. 
 
 
 
   -- Supreme Service and Experiences: Reimagining the approach to serving 
 
      customers through a modernized restaurant experience, starting with a 
 
      winning team culture that balances accuracy and speed with connection and 
 
      meaningful interaction. 
 
 
 
   -- Digital Connections: Ensuring 100% of transactions are enabled by digital 
 
      platforms while making Taco Bell Rewards the most loved loyalty program, 
 
      so every interaction is intelligently personalized no matter how the 
 
      order is placed. 
 
 
 
   -- Tech Advances: Streamlining each touchpoint through powerful innovations, 
 
      including Byte by Yum!, a comprehensive collection of proprietary 
 
      Software as a Service AI-driven products. 
 
 
 
   -- International Expansion: Applying the magic formula globally to increase 
 
      Taco Bell's footprint to 3,000 restaurants outside of the U.S. by 2030. 
 
      The brand plans to enter nine new countries including France, Greece and 
 
      South Africa, and accelerate growth in existing U.K., Spain, Australia 
 
      and India markets. 
 
 
   Taco Bell will continue leveraging the scale and portfolio influence of 
parent company Yum! Brands. 
 
 
   "Taco Bell U.S. is one of our twin growth engines," said David Gibbs, 
CEO of Yum! Brands. "As we grow the world's most iconic restaurant 
brands globally, we're confident in Taco Bell's magic formula and its 
ability to remain a category of one and outperform the industry." 
 
   About Taco Bell Corp. 
 
 
   For more than 62 years, Taco Bell has brought innovative, craveable 
Mexican-inspired food to the masses, and was recently recognized as one 
of Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies, one of TIME's Most 
Influential Companies, and Nation's Restaurant News' Brand Icon. For 
more information about Taco Bell, visit our website at www.TacoBell.com, 
our Newsroom at www.TacoBell.com/news, or check 
out www.TacoBell.com/popular-links. You can also stay up to date on all 
things Taco Bell by following us on LinkedIn, TikTok, X, Instagram, 
Facebook and by subscribing to our YouTube channel. 
 
   About Yum! Brands 
 
 
   Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, and its subsidiaries 
franchise or operate a system of over 61,000 restaurants in more than 
155 countries and territories under the company's concepts -- Taco Bell, 
KFC, Pizza Hut and Habit Burger & Grill. The Company's KFC, Pizza Hut 
and Taco Bell brands are global leaders of the Mexican-inspired food, 
chicken and pizza categories, respectively. Habit Burger & Grill is a 
fast casual restaurant concept specializing in made-to-order chargrilled 
burgers, sandwiches and more. In 2024, Yum! was named to the Dow Jones 
Sustainability Index North America, Newsweek's list of America's Most 
Responsible Companies, USA Today's America's Climate Leaders and 3BL's 
list of 100 Best Corporate Citizens. In 2025, the Company was recognized 
among TIME magazine's list of Best Companies for Future Leaders. In 
addition, KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut led Entrepreneur's Top Global 
Franchises 2024 list and were ranked in the first 25 of Entrepreneur's 
2025 Franchise 500, with Taco Bell securing the No. 1 spot in North 
America for the fifth consecutive year. 
 
   Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 
 
 
   Certain statements in this communication contain "forward-looking 
statements." Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact 
that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. 
Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, 
assumptions or projections concerning future results or events, 
including, without limitation, the future earnings and performance of 
Yum! Brands, Taco Bell or any of their businesses or restaurants. 
Forward-looking statements are neither predictions nor guarantees of 
future events, circumstances or performance and are inherently subject 
to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could 
cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by those 
statements. We cannot assure you that any of the expectations, estimates 
or projections expressed will be achieved. Numerous factors could cause 
actual results and events to differ materially from those expressed or 
implied by forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: 
the success and financial stability of our concepts' franchisees; the 
success of our development strategy; our global operations and related 
exposure to geopolitical instability; and our ability to successfully 
and securely implement technology initiatives. The forward-looking 
statements included in this communication are only made as of the date 
of this communication and we disclaim any obligation to publicly update 
any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or 
circumstances. You should consult our filings with the Securities and 
Exchange Commission (including the information set forth under the 
captions "Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in our most 
recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K) for additional detail about 
factors that could affect our financial and other results. 
 
   Natalie Hochberg -- Taco Bell Corp. 
 
 
   natalie.hochberg@yum.com 
 
   Polly Desien -- Edelman 
 
 
   polly.desien@edelman.com 
 
 
 
 
 

(MORE TO FOLLOW) Dow Jones Newswires

March 04, 2025 08:19 ET (13:19 GMT)