Richland Taco Bell gets makeover, more square feet – tricitiesbusinessnews.com

Two years after a Kennewick Taco Bell was torn down and rebuilt, a north Richland Taco Bellis gettinga makeover of its own.

Taco Bell,at1825 George Washington Way, istemporarily closed for an $800,000 makeover to bring it to the modern brand standards spelled out by Taco Bell owner Yum! Brands.

The updates include a down-to-the-studs interior remodel, electronic menu boards, more space in the kitchen and a new drive-thru, said John Arthur, president of Yakima Restaurants Inc., an Ohio-based company that owns and operates 32 Taco Bell franchises in Ohio andWashington.

Arthur manages the10 in Washington.

His identical twin brothermanagesthe Ohio ones.

The city of Richland issued permits on Aug. 21.

Taco Bell is one of two restaurants thatoperateinpadsat WashingtonPlaza,a Safeway-anchored strip mall at McMurray Street and George Washington Way. Sharis is the other. The complex was firstdeveloped in 1981.

Arthur said the exterior hasnt been significantly updated in the 30 years since itwasbuilt.Yum! Brandsnew standards for Taco Bell supplied the impetus to remodel, but he said Yakima Restaurants is going well beyond the minimum expected.

A bump out will add more space in the kitchen as well as storage space to better accommodate employees.

The restaurant is in the top 3 of the 10 Northwest locations for sales, he said.

It is also the mostaffected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Arthur attributes that to the loss of drive-by traffic since many Hanford site workers began working from home.

The restaurant will reopen in earlytomid-November as adrive-thru. Although restaurants can open at 25% capacity, Arthur wont reopen the dining room until it feels it is safe for employees.

About a third of the Richland employees are posted to the companys Road 68 location in Pasco. The remaining workers were laid off.

Arthur plans to remodel four Yakima-area Taco Bell locations in the nextone to twoyears.

Baxter Construction is the general contractor.

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Richland Taco Bell gets makeover, more square feet - tricitiesbusinessnews.com