Taco Bell plans to return to the United Arab Emirates
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“operational excellence and proven track record of driving growth give us great confidence as we grow Taco Bell in this vibrant market and build the brand for long-term success across the region.”
Top 500 chain restaurant sales slowed again in 2025 as consumers cut back on dining, but sectors like coffee, beverages and snacks and chicken thrived The company signed an exclusive deal with Americana Restaurants to bring the brand back to the region for the first time since 2012.
Taco Bell is making its way back to the United Arab Emirates, a region the brand exited in 2012. Taco Bell UK and Europe Ltd., a subsidiary of Yum Brands, has announced an exclusive development deal with Americana Restaurants to return to the market with plans for phased expansion across additional Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
In addition to the UAE, GCC member nations include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The agreement builds on Americana Restaurants’ longstanding partnership with Yum Brands.
The company operates in 12 countries across the Middle East, North Africa and Kazakhstan, with a portfolio that includes both KFC and Pizza Hut, as well as Hardee’s, Krispy Kreme, Peet’s Coffee, TGI Friday’s, Costa Coffee, Baskin Robbins, and more. In a statement, Ankush Tuli, managing director of Taco Bell International, said Americana Restaurants’ “operational excellence and proven track record of driving growth give us great confidence as we grow Taco Bell in this vibrant market and build the brand for long-term success across the region."
The addition of Taco Bell marks Americana Restaurants' entry into the fast-growing Mexican-inspired QSR category. The company said the UAE provides a “natural starting point” for the brand, with a diverse population and vibrant food culture. From there, the plan is to build a “strong and sustainable” regional presence.
“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,” Americana Restaurants Chair Mohamed Alabbar said in a statement.
Taco Bell CEO Sean Tresvant added that the company is excited to continue its international momentum. “For more than 64 years, Taco Bell has built a brand that consumers love — bold, distinctive, culturally relevant — and we're just getting started,” he said. Notably, Taco Bell’s return to the region comes about two years after Chipotle made its debut in the UAE.
The fast-casual chain has since expanded throughout the region, including a debut in Saudi Arabia earlier this month.
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- Who: Taco Bell · Americana Restaurant · Yum Brand · Saudi Arabia · United Arab Emirate