Irvine-Based Taco Bell Files Permit for Third Leander Drive-Thru, Signals Hiring

A Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing shows an Irvine‑based Taco Bell has applied to build a 2,565‑square‑foot freestanding restaurant with a drive‑thru at 11300 U.S. Highway 183, Leander, TX 78641, with an $800,000 construction estimate and a proposed June 22, 2026 to September 14, 2026 work window. The state entry names Tacala Companies as the franchisee for the project and lists the site as a new standalone Taco Bell on a heavily traveled stretch of U.S. 183.

The proposed June 22 to September 14 schedule appears in the TDLR listing and should be read as a developer estimate rather than a confirmed opening date, since state site listings typically reflect the applicant’s projected timeline rather than final permit approvals. An Instagram post tied to the Leander project lists the address as 11300 S. Hwy. 183 and repeats the 2,565‑square‑foot drive‑thru description for the Irvine‑based chain.

If built as filed, the new store would be Leander’s third Taco Bell, adding to two existing locations already operating on U.S. 183 and positioning the franchise to capture commuter traffic along the corridor. The planned parcel sits on a stretch of highway cited in local planning notes as prime territory for quick‑service brands seeking visibility to morning and evening traffic.

Tacala Companies is identified on the filing as the operating franchisee; the group was founded by Dick Reese and Don Ghareeb and opened its first Taco Bell in 1989 in Columbiana, Alabama. Tacala is described in regional filings as a Birmingham‑based operator that now runs hundreds of Taco Bell locations and is expanding its Texas footprint through new construction and acquisitions, making a Leander build consistent with its recent expansion activity.

The filing arrives as Taco Bell continues to push beverage and format initiatives nationally that could influence new builds. Taco Bell, founded in 1962 by Glen Bell, reported a national network of 8,212 restaurants as of 2023 and said it sold more than 600 million drinks through the end of August, a 16 percent year‑over‑year increase; 62 percent of orders now include a drink. Live Más Café units, including an Irvine location that sells upward of 900 beverages a day, are rolling into Texas markets, and Taco Bell has set a corporate goal of growing beverage sales into a $5 billion business by 2030. A press release tied to recent marketing partnerships quoted Vince Staples saying, "Taco Bell has some of the most passionate fan bases and I’ve been a fan of the brand since I was young," and "I’m excited to partner with them on something that feels true to who they are and how people actually connect with their brand."

Local reporting on the filing notes the potential hiring and construction timeline, with reporter Natalie Petrovich writing, "If the proposed schedule holds, crews could break ground this summer and wrap up work before the busy fall rush." Permit activity at Williamson County and any subsequent TDLR updates will determine whether the June 22 start moves forward and when Tacala will begin hiring and staffing the new Leander drive‑thru.