Taco Bell is testing four horchata beverages at its Live Más Café locations, ahead of a nationwide launch in December. The drinks are part of the chain’s effort to reach $5 billion in annual drink sales by 2030.
The four limited-time drinks are based on horchata, a sweet beverage typically made with rice. Two of the drinks, the Strawberry Horchata Refresca and the Vanilla Spiced Horchata Refresca, will be part of a larger national limited-time offering launching on December 10. Both flavors are formulated to balance the traditional creamy texture of horchata with fruit or spice notes, aiming to attract loyal fans and curious newcomers.
These horchata remixes are part of a sip-test-repeat beverage innovation strategy at its 39 Live Más Cafés. The approach lets the brand identify potentially successful limited-time drinks and permanent menu additions.
The chain plans to add more Live Más Café units to its store base, expanding its capacity to test and refine new drinks. It will also grow its Southern California footprint, enter the Indianapolis market, and open a flagship café on the Las Vegas Strip. By increasing the number of café sites, the company hopes to gather more data across diverse customer bases, which can inform decisions about which items move beyond the test phase.
The few dozen Live Más Café stores have already sold 1.3 million beverages and tested at least 24 new drinks. The experimental units have delivered favorable transaction growth in the last year, with the morning and afternoon being the strongest performing dayparts.
Other major quick-service chains are also looking to expand their drink offerings and improve sales during quiet dayparts. The fast-food chain’s sister brand, KFC, recently opened a new store to test premium beverages like boba refreshers and iced lattes. KFC’s beverage trial mirrors the broader industry trend of using specialty drinks to draw traffic during slower periods.
However, premium beverage plays are not a guaranteed sales win. McDonald’s recent experience with its CosMc’s spinoff and subsequent launch of dirty sodas and premium drinks resulted in operational complexities and a traffic shortfall. That episode highlights the operational challenges that can arise when introducing niche products at scale.
