7-Eleven Opens A Taco Drive-Thru (But They're Not 7-Eleven Tacos)

Laredo Taco Company is 7-Eleven's fast food taco chain, which we haven't seen in person yet here in Chicago. It serves a combo of tacos, breakfast tacos, bowls, and sides, including an entire menu of aguas frescas. When 7-Eleven purchased gas station chain Sunoco in 2018, it also acquired Laredo as part of the deal. So far, all of the taco chain's 500 locations exist inside 7-Elevens and Stripes convenience stores, but at one corporate-owned 7-Eleven location in Dallas, Laredo is getting a dedicated drive-thru to serve customers on the go.

CNN notes that you can even tack a Slurpee onto your drive-thru order in case you're not in the mood for an agua fresca. The drive-thru is part of a new 7-Eleven concept: the "Evolution store," which is sort of the brand's testing ground for new updates and innovations. Each Evolution store aims for a higher-end convenience store shopping experience, with self-serve specialty coffees, wine and beer, freshly baked goods, and mobile checkout. (And great candy!)

7-Eleven has been quietly trying to up its food game by launching things like private-label meal kits, and it has also tested keto and paleo products at an Evolution location as well. Honestly, what I'm really hoping for is a 7-Eleven that serves fluffy Japanese egg salad sandwiches, or hell, any of the food they serve at Japanese 7-Elevens.

Chipotle has already added a sort-of drive-thru addition to some of its stores, called a "Chipotlane," which is more or less a glorified curbside pickup service where you order through their mobile app and drive up to the window to grab your order once it's ready. Even Shake Shack is in on the drive-thru revolution: it's planning on opening one in Orlando, later this year. If a Laredo Taco Company drive-thru ever shows up by me, I hope I can request a few taquitos from the roller too.