Taco Bell Files Sketch Plan for New Leland, North Carolina Location

Taco Bell filed a sketch plan on March 6, 2026 to build a new freestanding restaurant in Leland, North Carolina, a move that would add a second quick-serve location to the northern section of Brunswick County.

The Town of Leland reviewed the sketch plan, which calls for a 2,274-square-foot building in a busy shopping center in Brunswick County. The original filing materials include a truncated description suggesting additional site-area detail, but the exact parcel address, acreage, and lot dimensions have not been made public through available documents. Key details including whether the structure would sit on a pad within the shopping center or on an adjacent parcel, drive-thru configuration, parking count, and projected opening date all remain outstanding pending further review of the full planning submission.

The proposal would expand Taco Bell's northern Brunswick footprint beyond its single existing location in the area. The only Taco Bell currently serving northern Brunswick County operates at 101 Thomas Garst Lane in Leland. Countywide, three Taco Bell locations are currently open, with eight more operating in the Wilmington area.

The sketch plan is an early step in the local development review process. What follows typically includes formal site-plan approval, potential conditional-use permits, and any required public hearings, though the Town of Leland Planning Department has not yet released staff review notes or a case number tied to the March 6 submission.

Ownership details for the proposed location, including whether it would operate as a corporate-owned restaurant or through a franchisee, have not been confirmed by Taco Bell or its parent company, Yum! Brands.