Since arriving at Northwestern last year, Weinberg sophomore Eshaan Chandani has tallied his “days since last Taco Bell” on a whiteboard above his desk. Recently, though, he added a new countdown to the board: “days until Evanston’s Taco Bell Cantina.”
Though an exact date hasn’t been set, property manager Gordon Magill expects the franchise, located at 1737 Sherman Ave., to open in 40-45 days. Magill also managed the downtown Evanston Taco Bell that was once next door but closed in 2018.
The city has lacked fast food, usually a staple for college towns, since Taco Bell left, said Andy Vick, the executive director of Downtown Evanston. The old Burger King, which used to set up shop on Orrington Ave., closed its doors in 2020 and was one of the last all night eateries in downtown.
“I’ve heard from a number of Northwestern students that they really liked the Taco Bell that was in the area in the past, and I know students are very excited for it to come back,” Vick said. “It’s got a good price point for students who are trying to watch their budget.”
Magill said the closure of the previous Evanston Taco Bell was unrelated to its profit. The location was doing well, but the franchise manager wanted to consolidate locations, he said. He thinks that the chain is coming back to downtown Evanston to try out its cantina model.
Taco Bell opened its first cantina in Chicago in 2015. The cantinas have open kitchens and offer alcoholic beverages like beer, wine, sangria and alcoholic Taco Bell Freezes, according to the franchise’s website.
“There aren’t many places where people can have a drink in Evanston, especially that are open late,” said Weinberg senior Serena Mehta. “So as someone who is 21 plus, I think it’s exciting to have that option. Plus a good fast food restaurant nearby.”
Chandani is excited that downtown Evanston will finally have somewhere he can go when he’s coming back from a night out with friends, he said. He’s particularly enthusiastic about the restaurant being a Taco Bell because “there’s nothing like that first bite of the Cheesy Gordita Crunch,” he said.
Taco Bell just has a magic like no other restaurant, he said. Of course, it’s not authentic Mexican food, but the chain has created their own cuisine through their creativity, Chandani said.
“Most college towns have late night food options, whether it’s a big chain or even just local spots, but there aren’t really any options currently in Evanston,” Chandani said. “If I’m up super late and I get hungry, I have to order DoorDash, which is really terrible for my wallet because of delivery fees and tipping the driver.”
When Magill began working with Taco Bell again, he was concerned about the impact on the neighborhood, which boasts a number of authentic, local Mexican restaurants. Magill said the franchise was very prepared for the question. Ultimately, it decided that Taco Bell Cantina’s food and alcohol service is a specific niche that had yet to be filled, Magill said.
Tania Ruiz, the manager of Tomate Fresh Kitchen on Noyes St., said she was not worried about the chain’s opening. She added that competition is good because it keeps everyone on point.
“All Mexican restaurants have their own unique flavors,” Ruiz said. “I think it’s great there will be a new one, a little bit of something for everyone.”
Most of the Mexican restaurants in the area opened while Taco Bell was still there, Vick said. He thinks there is plenty of room for options and that it is good for there to be a variety, he said.
Vick also added that having a chain restaurant with a good brand reputation downtown, alongside all of Evanston’s independent businesses and restaurants, will add to the city’s uniqueness. It will also help downtown’s redevelopment after the pandemic.
The property is still “pending inspections,” according to Friday’s City Manager’s Report.
“There are a lot fewer workers coming in on a daily basis to downtown, which has made it difficult for restaurants to stay open,” Vick said. “But hopefully, for every business that closes, we’ll open two new ones and eventually we’ll be back to a full downtown.”
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