Taco Bell is betting big on horchata. On October 15, the chain's Live Más Café concept introduced four new horchata-inspired drinks, rolling them out across its network of beverage-focused test locations as part of a broader push to reach $5 billion in beverage sales.
The lineup includes the Purple Horchata Chiller, the Chocolate Horchata Cold Brew Float, the Strawberry Horchata Refresca and the Vanilla Spiced Horchata Refresca, according to a company announcement. The Purple Horchata Chiller blends a vanilla ice cream Chiller base with Taco Bell's horchata syrup, then tops it with whipped cream and a purple horchata drizzle, per the same release. The Chocolate Horchata Cold Brew Float layers cold brew beneath the Chiller base, vanilla-spiced horchata syrup, churro crumbles and a dark chocolate syrup drizzle.
The two Refrescas lean lighter: the Strawberry Horchata Refresca mixes a vanilla-spiced drink with wild strawberry syrup and real freeze-dried strawberry pieces served over ice, while the Vanilla Spiced Horchata Refresca offers what the company calls a classic take on the flavor. As East Bay Times notes, Taco Bell brands these drinks Refrescas, its own spin on aguas frescas, with other entries in that lineup including the Strawberry Dream Refresca and the Pineapple Dragonfruit Dream Refresca.
Prices And A December Expansion
Pricing details vary slightly by source. The prnewswire release lists the Purple Horchata Chiller at $4.19 to $4.59 and the Chocolate Horchata Cold Brew Float at $4.79 to $5.29, with the Refrescas also listed in the $4.19 to $4.59 range for small and medium sizes. The Strawberry and Vanilla Spiced Horchata Refrescas are priced at $4.19 for a medium and $4.59 for a large.
Not every drink will stick around nationwide. The Purple Horchata Chiller and the Chocolate Horchata Cold Brew Float will remain exclusive to Live Más Cafés, according to KTLA. But two of the four, along with a brand-new Vanilla Spiced Horchata Freeze, are headed for every Taco Bell menu. The company says the Strawberry Horchata Refresca, Vanilla Spiced Horchata Refresca and the new Freeze will join menus nationwide for a limited time on December 10.
Testing Ground For A $5 Billion Goal
Live Más Cafés function as Taco Bell's beverage laboratory. The 39 existing locations help the company identify which limited-time drinks might graduate to permanent menu items, according to restaurant trade outlet Restaurant Dive. Those cafés have sold roughly 1.3 million beverages since launching and have tested at least 24 new drinks, the same outlet reports, as Taco Bell works toward its stated goal of reaching $5 billion in beverage sales by 2030.
The horchata push also reflects a wider menu trend. Horchata appeared on menus at 130 U.S. chains in the second quarter of 2026, with its strongest presence concentrated in Mexican-cuisine quick-service and fast-casual segments, Nation's Restaurant News reported. Taco Bell isn't alone in chasing beverage innovation as a growth lever: Restaurant Dive notes that KFC recently opened an Open House test store featuring boba refreshers and iced lattes, while McDonald's drew on its short-lived CosMc's spinoff to develop dirty sodas and other premium drinks — though added back-of-house complexity from those drinks has been cited as a factor in a recent traffic shortfall for the chain.
Expanding Beyond Southern California
Taco Bell launched the Live Más concept in Chula Vista in late 2024, in partnership with Diversified Restaurant Group, KTLA reported. Since then the footprint has grown to 39 locations spanning Southern California, Houston, Dallas, Indiana and Las Vegas, per the prnewswire release.
The chain is now pushing further into new territory. A Live Más Café in greater Indianapolis was scheduled to celebrate its grand opening Thursday at 252 E State Street in West Lafayette, with additional Indiana locations planned for Greenfield and Muncie before the end of the year. In Southern California, Taco Bell has said a café will open at Century City Mall, with two more planned for Irvine and Tustin later this year. The company also plans a standalone flagship on the Las Vegas Strip, set inside a shipping container next to its existing Cantina location at 3717 S Las Vegas Blvd.
Beyond the new drinks, Taco Bell is running a series of $4 meals for rewards members throughout October, including an offer pairing a Burrito Supreme, a Crispy Taco and a fountain drink, East Bay Times reports. Live Más Cafés themselves are remodeled Taco Bell restaurants with their own distinct design, serving the chain's regular food menu alongside their beverage-forward lineup.
