Taco Bell Is Making A Much Bigger Push Into Energy Drinks
Taco Bell is getting increasingly serious about becoming your afternoon caffeine plug.
The chain has launched three new energy drinks nationwide, each packing 120 milligrams of caffeine and vitamin B. The new lineup includes:
- Pineapple Citrus Energy Refresher — $4.49: Pineapple mixed with tropical citrus flavors in a 20-ounce drink.
- Strawberry Tropics Energy Refresher — $4.49: A 20-ounce refresher built around tropical punch flavors.
- Pineapple Citrus Energy Freeze — $3.99: A frozen take on the Pineapple Citrus Energy Refresher.
The launch adds to a growing beverage business at Taco Bell that already includes Agua Refrescas and Rockstar Energy Refrescas, which debuted last year. In May, the chain also introduced cold brew at its Live Más Café concept, which launched in late 2024 specifically to beef up its beverage game.
There are now more than 30 Live Más Cafés operating inside traditional Taco Bell restaurants, with plans to eventually expand the concept systemwide. It’s all part of Taco Bell’s larger goal of reaching $5 billion in annual beverage sales by 2030.
And there’s plenty of caffeinated competition for that money. Beverage-focused chains like Dutch Bros, Scooter’s, 7 Brew, and Swig continue to grow, while fast-food heavyweights are tapping into energy drinks themselves. McDonald’s launched its Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer earlier this month, while Panera added a lineup of Energy Refreshers in March.
There’s good reason everyone wants in. According to Technomic, energy drink menu mentions jumped 45.8% between 2020 and 2025, making them the fastest-growing subcategory within the already fast-growing beverage category.
