Taco Bell is opening a hotel this August. Yes, really

May 17, 2019

Forget about the Ritz-Carlton, Taco Bell is taking over their own hotel, aptly named The Bell.

According to CNN, the fast-food chain will take over a Palm Springs, Florida, hotel, making Taco Bell menu items available to guests. The hotel will also feature taco-themed nail art and a gift shop, for better or worse.

CNN noted the stunt may create unofficial brand ambassadors for Taco Bell.

“Stunts like this one give fast food chains a chance to set themselves apart in a crowded market, where value meals may not be enough. Ideally, they raise brand awareness and create buzz around the brand on social channels,” according to CNN.

As visitors post photos of their stay on social media, they increase Taco Bell’s presence among their followers. The company will begin taking reservations in June for an Aug. 9 opening.

Previous Taco Bell publicity stunts have included a contest to be married at the Taco Bell Cantina chapel in Las Vegas and penning a letter encouraging customers to end “calendar inequality” due to Taco Tuesday traditions, according to Marketing Dive. So opening a hotel is pretty on-brand for the chain.

In other news, Jalopnik reports that Burger King is taking advantage of traffic jams in Mexico City by offering courier delivery via their app. The service is expected to roll out to Los Angeles soon.