In the age of COVID, many companies are trying to figure out how they’ll survive. Others, like Drive-In movie theaters, were almost dead before COVID sprang them back to life. In the case of fast food, either the Drive-Thru or eating under a tent are the only ways to make it today. And it doesn’t look like COVID-19 scene is going to change for a while. Taco Bell restaurants are pulling from the past to survive the pandemic future. It is reimagining Drive-Ins and even carhops with new concept stores. But with a twist. 

Hamburger joints with carhops were a thing back in the 1940s and 1950s. You would park, the carhops would roller skate to your car and take your order. When it was ready they would skate it to you on a tray that was attached to your car door. Taco Bell has this concept in mind but with a twist.

The Taco Bell twist comes with an app

The twist comes with an app. A tracking app downloaded to your phone can be used to order while en route. With GPS the store can determine when you’ll arrive so your Crunchwrap Supremes are piping hot and fresh to go. Once you arrive a “Bellhop” delivers it to your car and you’re ready to feast. 

Two lanes will be used according to cnet. One will be for mobile pickups and the other for your regular Drive-Thru ordering. Called “Taco Bell Go Mobile” these newfangled Taco Bell stores will start popping up next year. They’ll be smaller than the current stores because there will be no in-store dining. However, some current stores lend themselves to this concept and are using it now.

Choose the pick-up experience that best fits your Drive-In needs

“With demand for our drive-thru at an all-time high, we know adapting to meet our consumers rapidly changing needs has never been more important,” said Taco Bell President and Global COO Mike Grams. “The Taco Bell Go Mobile restaurant concept is not only an evolved physical footprint but a completely synchronized digital experience centered around streamlining guest access points. For the first time, our guests will have the ability to choose the pick-up experience that best fits their needs, all while never leaving the comfort of their cars.”

You already can probably think of other fast food places that could use some variation of this idea. So expect it to proliferate throughout the fast-food industry in short order. The US Food and Drug Administration says there is no evidence COVID-19 can be transmitted through food. But gathering in groups definitely can. Everyone is trying to adapt to this ASAP. 

So in the sanctuary of your truck or car, this is a convenient way to get out of the house and have a safe dining experience in 2020. There should be no waiting for your Chalupas, yet it comes to you hot and fresh. Transactions can be handled through the app so you don’t bother with paying when you get there. It’s so modern and yet so 1950s.