Franchising

Taco Bell heads to the UAE

Photo: Shutterstock

August 31, 2026

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Americana Restaurants International is bringing Taco Bell to the United Arab Emirates as part of an exclusive development agreement with Yum! Brands' Taco Bell UK and Europe, the company has announced in a press release.

The UAE will be the first market under the agreement, with plans to expand the chain into additional Gulf Cooperation Council markets through a phased rollout. This will be Taco Bell's second foray into the UAE. The company opened it's first location in Dubai in 2008 and closed all of its UAE restaurants in 2012.

While the companies have not yet announced specific locations or an opening date, the deal marks Americana's entry into the Mexican-inspired QSR category and expands its long-standing relationship with Yum! Brands, which already includes KFC and Pizza Hut locations across the region.

Americana Restaurants Board chairman Mohamed Alabbar said in a statement: "Taco Bell is the coolest brand in its category, built for a generation that wants great flavor, great value, and a little attitude. Young people in our region are curious and adventurous so brands should keep surprising them. Dubai adopts what's bold and tells the world about it. We will start here, get it right, and scale Taco Bell across the UAE and the GCC."