News

With 'God as my witness,' Taco Bell says Lyft riders need 'never be hungry again'

July 26, 2017

Taco Bell has partnered with rideshare service, Lyft, to give those flagging a Lyft ride an easy, mobile phone-based way to incorporate a Taco Bell drive-thru stop into their Lyft-supported trips by the end of this year, a news release said.

Taco Mode is an in-app option for Lyft passengers that not only makes sure riders are satiated on their long hops between bars, but also brings potential Taco Bell swag, custom in-car menus, a tricked-out taco-themed car and a free Doritos Locos taco their way when they "drive-thru" in their Lyft-comandeered auto.

"We realized that for every person who has asked their Lyft driver to make a pit-stop at Taco Bell — and we've seen many — there are likely those who weren't sure if this was possible," Taco Bell CMO Marisa Thalberg said in the release. "With the advent of this fantastic partnership with Lyft, we will erase any lingering uncertainty and celebrate the ability to 'ride-thru' in Taco Mode."

Taco Mode begins in that center-of-everything-food-related, Orange County, California, on July 27 and then test through July 29 there, and again from Aug. 3-5 between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. Pacific Time, when passengers can choose Taco Mode in their Lyft app options. The two companies plan to move the program out into other markets by year’s end, with U.S. nationwide availability next year.

Why test in the later evening? Well, an LRW-Lyft study this June found those coveted millennial customers most often use ridesharing apps during a night out than any other time. Likewise, Mintel reports that almost one of every four U.S. consumers use ridesharing apps — typically several times each month — primarily for convenience. The Taco Bell-Lyft partnership is aimed at taking full advantage of those trends.

Image via Istock.com