Taco Bell Expands Beverage Menu With New Horchata Drinks
The chain is testing four horchata beverages at its experimental Live Más Café locations across the country.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Food and Drink
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Taco Bell has introduced four new horchata beverages at its 39 Live Más Café locations. This initiative serves as a testing ground for potential menu additions as the company refines its beverage strategy.
Why it matters
The move helps Taco Bell gather data on consumer preferences to improve sales during non-peak hours. Successful drinks from these test sites are often transitioned to the national menu, such as the two horchata options slated for a limited-time release on Dec. 10.
Taco Bell has tested at least 24 new drink concepts at its 39 Live Más Café units. The company has already moved 1.3 million beverages through these test sites as part of a goal to reach $5 billion in annual drink sales by 2030.
The players
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is a national fast-food restaurant chain known for its Mexican-inspired menu items.
The details
Taco Bell utilizes these specific cafe locations to sip-test and iterate on products before wider adoption. The strategy aims to optimize the menu to boost performance during periods outside of traditional lunch and dinner rushes.
Timeline
October 15, 2026: Taco Bell launched four new horchata beverages.
December 10, 2026: A national limited-time launch for two horchata drinks is scheduled.
2030: The company aims to reach $5 billion in annual beverage sales.
Industry Dynamics
Taco Bell's expansion of the Live Más Café concept follows the industry trend of leveraging experimental cafe units to capture higher margins on specialty drinks. This strategy positions the chain to compete more effectively against specialized beverage-focused retailers.
Consumers can currently access these four test beverages only at the 39 existing Live Más Café locations. Following the testing phase, the brand plans to roll out two of these options to national locations for a limited time starting in December.
The takeaway
Taco Bell is betting on specialty drinks to significantly diversify its revenue streams by 2030. Customers should watch for regional tests in the coming months as the company prepares to expand its experimental cafe footprint to cities like Indianapolis and Las Vegas.
What happens next
Taco Bell will initiate a national limited-time offering of the Strawberry Horchata Refresca and Vanilla Spiced Horchata Refresca on Dec. 10, 2026.
Further reading
For more on the latest trends in the industry, visit the Food and Drink section.
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Would you be interested in trying premium specialized drinks at a local fast-food restaurant location?
