Roughly every Tuesday after working with a trash pickup group in West Denver, I bike to the Taco Bell located on the 16th Street Mall. It’s a rarity among Taco Bells in the metro area. While the rest of the Taco Bells that comprise Denver proper have some sort of drive thru, it fits within the urban environment downtown, having a walk up window on a pedestrianized 16th Street Mall. Beyond being a rarity when it comes to pedestrian access, this particular Taco Bell and its immediate predecessor are a sign of the changes that have occurred in Denver, and may offer a window into what’s to come. 

Before the Glenarm Taco Bell

Prior to the existence of the 1600 Glenarm Place Taco bell, there was a location at 634 16th Street, right across the street from the new location. In the time before the COVID-19 pandemic, 16th Street was bustling, with Taco Bell and the nearby McDonald’s (sarcastically referred to as McShelters) being two of the cheapest options on that segment of the 16th Street Mall. 

The old Taco Bell didn’t have many of the modern amenities we’ve come to associate with Taco Bell. Before self-order kiosks, every order was made at the front, and more often than not the order would be wrong. However, there was always a cashier available, along with dedicated cooks in the back. The other big difference with the 634 location was the lack of a bathroom code for years. While the old Taco Bell did eventually add a code, it was one of the few quasi-public bathrooms that didn’t require a purchase to just walk in and use. The final difference between the Taco Bell at 634 and the Glenarm Taco Bell was the surrounding urban environment. Up until the COVID-19 pandemic, they relied on office workers, who were in abundance downtown. Additionally, they did not have to navigate issues in relation to the ongoing construction of the 16th Street Mall today, surviving because of the large amount of food traffic.

The Glenarm Taco Bell

Around 2020-2021, the 634 Location of Taco Bell closed. In 2022, the Glenarm Taco Bell reopened in a different urban environment. Still reeling from the pandemic, Downtown Denver had 67% of the foot traffic that it had prior to the pandemic. The form of this Taco Bell, then, needed to be different from the 634 location in critical ways. One such way, as a possible recognition of having less foot traffic, was having very little seating when you went inside the Taco Bell.

As you can see from the picture above, there are a mere 3 tables and a handful of stools to sit at, whereas the old location had 4 square tables, a large circular table, and about 4-5 stools to sit in. 

The other major change for this Taco Bell was the reduction in staff when it came to ordering. Understanding that kiosks take the burden off of staff, it seems like this location is significantly more reliant on kiosk and online orders than the 634 location. The final major change of this Taco Bell versus the previous Taco Bell is the immediate privatization of the bathrooms. Rather than being retrofitted to lock, these bathrooms do require a code, which, to get, requires a purchase. This fits into a trend that has been going on in urban cores for the past 15-20 years of making access to bathrooms in businesses wholly reliant on being able to buy an item. 

A Possible Future

Right now, the 16th Street Mall is undergoing a multi-year renovation that  will change the very fabric of downtown. In the interim, foot traffic has noticeably decreased with businesses, including the Glenarm Taco Bell. With sections that may not be completed until 2026, it isn’t beyond the pale that low cost restaurants may fold. The Taco Bell downtown, however, probably has more promise than other fast food options for a couple different reasons. One, unlike other fast food businesses, Taco Bell has expanded their menu for different dietary needs, particularly vegetarians. Whereas businesses like Mcdonalds and Burger King may have Impossible Patties, Taco Bell hired Missy Schaaphok, a well known nutritionist, to make more vegetarian items such as the 7 layer burritos and Potato Tacos. Two, Taco Bell requires franchisees to have a minimum net worth of $1.5 million, with $750,000 being liquid assets. Compared to other options in the immediate vicinity such as Earl’s Kitchen, Taco Bell doesn’t need to rely on the quality of its food or the ability to fill tables, with many orders being online and to go. With the brand recognition, high barrier to entry, and reliance on online orders versus filling tables, the Glenarm taco bell is a recognition of a changing downtown, and will thrive through its changes.