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Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Virginia-Highland neighbourhood loses original Taco Mac store after nearly 50 years
After nearly five decades of serving up wings, beer, and memories, Taco Mac has officially closed its flagship location in Atlanta's Virginia-Highland neighbourhood. The beloved spot, which first opened in 1979, welcomed its last customer this week—but leadership says the brand's story is far from over. Also Read: Bahama Breeze: 15 locations abruptly shut down across the US Many residents were disheartened after Taco Mac shut down its store. However, CEO Harold Martin said, 'This isn't the end of the story - it's a milestone in our journey. We're deeply grateful for our roots in the Virginia-Highlands neighbourhood in Atlanta, Georgia, and we're more excited than ever for what's ahead,' as reported by The Mirror US. The company has insisted that the closure of the store is a part of its broader strategy for growth. The beloved food spot functions at 27 locations across three states, namely Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama. Taco Mac has suggested that it has plans to expand into other states. Meanwhile, the employees who were working at the flagship store have been offered new employment opportunities in nearby locations. In the coming days, the empty spot for now in the Virginia Highland neighbourhood will be transformed into Jack Brown's Beer and Burger Joint. Also Read: Preakness Stakes 2025 prize money: How much does the winner take home? One of Taco Bell's most historic locations—Restaurant 31 in Scottsdale, Arizona—officially closed its doors earlier this month, marking the end of an era for the fast-food chain. Opened in the 1960s, it was the 31st Taco Bell ever built and had preserved much of the brand's original charm, including a Spanish tile roof and a vintage Taco Bell sign. The closure coincided with the launch of Taco Bell's Decades Menu, which celebrated fan-favourite items from the past, such as the '60s Tostada, '70s Green Sauce Burrito, '80s Meximelt, and '90s Gordita.
Miami Herald
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
KFC is bringing back a much-beloved customer favorite
Legacy fast-food chains have discovered a powerful way to reengage longtime customers, and it's as simple as bringing back something that's been missing from their menus for a long time. Perhaps one of the most successful examples of this was Taco Bell taking the Mexican Pizza off its menu in September 2020, citing packaging expenses as the reason. This led to a customer uproar, and a little under two years later, Taco Bell brought the famed pizza back (in the exact same packaging, mind you) with a big campaign backed by Doja Cat. Don't miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet's FREE Daily newsletter Other chains saw all this go down and realized that they could benefit hugely from reintroducing old menu items customer miss. Taco Bell made a theme out of it when it introduced its "Decades" menu in October 2024, bringing back menu items from different decades including the Tostada, the Meximelt, the Gordita Supreme, and the Green Sauce Burrito. It was a limited-time promotion, but it was a huge hit for the brand, playing on the nostalgia of loyal customers to the tune of success. Now KFC (YUM) has decided to borrow a page from the Taco Bell playbook with hopes it will drum up success for its spring menu. After five years of customers asking KFC to bring it back to the menu, the company has finally confirmed that Chicken & Waffles is making a triumphant return. You can try it in three ways: A Tenders & Waffle box, which comes with three Original Recipe tenders, waffle, and syrup for $7; a Two-Piece Fried Chicken & Waffle box, which comes with KFC Original Recipe fried chicken, waffle, and syrup; and a Chicken & Waffles Fan Favorite Box, which comes with four pieces of Original Recipe fried chicken, 12 nuggets, four waffles, and four syrups and sauces. Along with the Chicken & Waffles comeback, KFC will offer a dessert item called Strawberry & Crème Poppers, which wrap a strawberry and creme filling inside a buttery, flaky crust. "Chicken & Waffles hasn't been on our menu in over five years, but it's one of those iconic combos our fans never stopped asking for," a KFC spokesperson said to Food & Wine. "We've been listening, and bringing it back felt like the right kind of reunion of familiarity and indulgence, all without sacrificing value." While KFC did see moderate growth in 2024 with a 3% rise in system sales, Yum Brands wants to achieve much more. In December 2024, it launched its first-ever KFC concept restaurant, Saucy, which highlights consumer customization with a selection of 11 dipping sauces to choose from, paired with chicken tenders. It also offers a variety of other menu items unavailable at KFC, including a Spicy Queso Crunch sandwich and a Hot Honey Watermelon Refresher. Saucy currently has only one physical location in Orlando, Fla., but KFC says to expect more coming soon. As Saucy finds its footing, KFC is focusing on new collaborations, such as one with Mike's Hot Honey, as well as a big tech rollout in over 1,000 locations featuring self-ordering kiosks. These are everywhere in the fast-food world now and save precious time for a chain's employees, who can focus on fulfilling orders and customer service instead of being stuck behind the register taking orders. Related: Historic restaurant unexpectedly closes its doors The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
