Bangkok:
Taco Bell is expanding its considerable fast-food empire into Southeast Asia. Bloomberg reports that the Bell is set to open 40 restaurants in Thailand by 2022, according to Liz Williams, president of TB’s international division. According to Bloomberg, the first restaurant is scheduled to open today in Bangkok on January 24, where “flavors in offerings such as tacos and burritos have been tweaked to suit local tastes.”
That tweaking involves heightening the spice factor for the more heat-accustomed palates in Thailand. Williams said in an interview, “What we think is hot and spicy in the U.S. is just starting off in Thailand on the spice scale, so we dialed up the sauces.”