Taco Bell is returning to the United Arab Emirates after a 14-year absence, with Americana Restaurants signing an exclusive development agreement with Taco Bell UK and Europe Ltd, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, to relaunch the Mexican-inspired quick-service brand in the UAE and subsequently expand across additional Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets.
The agreement, announced on August 28, positions the UAE as the first market in a phased GCC rollout. Americana has not yet disclosed the location or opening date of the first Taco Bell restaurant, but said the UAE was selected because of its diverse population, established food culture and demand for new dining concepts.
The deal also marks Americana’s entry into the Mexican-inspired QSR category and deepens its long-standing relationship with Yum! Brands. Americana already operates KFC and Pizza Hut across the region, giving it established experience with two of Yum!’s major international franchise brands.
Americana Restaurants Chairman Mohamed Alabbar described Taco Bell as a brand built for consumers seeking flavour, value and a distinctive identity, adding that the company intends to establish the concept in the UAE before scaling it across the wider GCC.
A Second Attempt at the UAE
The return represents a significant reversal for Taco Bell, which first entered the UAE in 2008 before withdrawing in 2012. The chain had operated several locations in the Emirates, including Dubai. The National reported that a 2025 case study attributed the previous exit to strategic misalignment and intense competition, while noting that the UAE’s food market has changed considerably since Taco Bell’s departure.
The new expansion comes into a market where Mexican-inspired food has gained greater visibility. Chipotle, for example, entered Dubai and Abu Dhabi in 2024 through Alshaya Group, providing another indication of growing consumer interest in the category.
For Taco Bell, the UAE is also a gateway to a broader regional strategy rather than a standalone market entry. Americana and Taco Bell have said the brand will be rolled out into additional GCC countries in phases, although neither has disclosed the countries or unit targets for the next stage.
Franchise-Led Global Expansion
The agreement fits directly into Yum!’s predominantly franchise-driven international growth model. Yum! says its franchise partners are central to its global development strategy and that it opens a new KFC, Taco Bell or Habit Burger & Grill approximately every three hours. The company currently offers international franchise opportunities for its major brands, including Taco Bell.
Taco Bell has grown into one of Yum!’s largest global concepts, with more than 9,000 restaurants worldwide, including more than 1,200 restaurants across 40 international markets, according to the companies.
Yum!’s most recent corporate disclosures show the scale behind that franchise strategy. The company and its subsidiaries franchise or operate more than 44,000 restaurants across 151 countries and territories following its 2026 Pizza Hut transaction, with KFC, Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill now forming its core portfolio.
Taco Bell has also been expanding internationally at a healthy pace. Yum!’s 2025 third-quarter results showed the division had 8,816 restaurants, up 3% year over year, and opened 74 gross new restaurants across 14 countries during the quarter. International system sales increased 12%, excluding foreign-currency effects, while international same-store sales rose 6%.
The UAE agreement therefore gives Taco Bell another franchise-market platform at a time when the brand is increasing its international presence. It also provides Americana with a differentiated concept alongside its established chicken, pizza, coffee and bakery brands.
Americana operates an extensive restaurant portfolio across the Middle East, North Africa and Kazakhstan, including KFC, Pizza Hut, Hardee’s, Krispy Kreme, Costa Coffee and Baskin-Robbins. Its Taco Bell agreement adds a new cuisine category while allowing the operator to leverage its existing regional infrastructure and experience.
Taco Bell CEO Sean Tresvant said the brand intends to build on its international momentum by connecting with a new generation of UAE customers, while Taco Bell International Managing Director Ankush Tuli highlighted Americana’s regional operating expertise as a key reason for the partnership.
The UAE launch will consequently test whether Taco Bell can translate the brand’s strong international franchise model into a market it previously exited, while giving Americana a platform to develop the concept across the GCC. For Yum!, the agreement represents another franchise-led expansion opportunity for Taco Bell in a strategically important international region.
