Hundreds of Taco Bell super fans from across the country flocked to San Diego this past weekend for an immersive two days of senior-inspired fun at The Cantinas, Taco Bell’s first-ever early retirement community. All guests aged over 21—no AARP card necessary—were invited to live like a retiree by spending their afternoons in leisurely activities, which included a sound bath spa, pickleball matches, crocheting, and shopping all before going to sleep at 8 p.m. And of course, indulging in endless Taco Bell food.
The Cantinas was announced in July as an app exclusive for Taco Bell Rewards members. The first come, first-serve tickets sold out in three minutes. Those who were lucky to secure a retired membership traveled near and far from 20 different states like Florida, Utah, Colorado, and Tennessee to attend The Cantinas. “My love of Taco Bell, it’s become a thing ever since I was a kid, so I had to be here,” said Corinne Burstein from Atlanta. “I lost my dad about 12 years ago, but when I was a kid, my dad used to get Crunch Wraps and we would do that together.”
Burstein is such a hardcore fan (she has painted a Taco Bell key holder for her home’s entryway) that she skipped her close friend’s wedding shower so she could be at Taco Bell’s one-of-a-kind experience for the full weekend. “My friend was very understanding,” said Burstein. “She was excited for me cause she knows I’m a big fan. I couldn’t miss this!”
The Cantinas opened its doors on August 17 and 18 at San Diego’s sprawling 200-acre La Valle Coastal Club where retirees of all ages had full access to the resort’s amenities, recreation, and dining to celebrate the diverse art of “Living Más,” which translates to “Live More” in English, and is Taco Bell’s commitment to encouraging customers to embrace life to the fullest. Taco Bell launched its early retirement community with the same pledge.
“The objective of The Cantinas is like our brand, it represents a place where all generations can come together,” said Taylor Montgomery, Taco Bell’s U.S. Chief Marketing Officer, who later showed off his incredible pickleball skills on the court. “We’re in this journey of getting Live Más to mean more for the next generation of consumers. For us, it’s about taking actions and doing things to get this next generation to fall in love with Taco Bell again.”
To get the next generation, Gen Z, excited about Taco Bell, Montgomery helped create The Cantinas based on factual insights that “82 percent of Gen Z consumers, they want to turn in. They don’t want to turn up. They want to go to bed early,” said Montgomery. “And what better way to show that we are in touch with them by showcasing an early retirement community.”
Taco Bell had non-stop activities planned for all types of interests at The Cantinas. But, before the extravaganza began, Taco Bell generously provided complimentary vintage / retro-inspired clothes and accessories for each retiree available at the Sundries store. Retirees enjoyed shopping, and immediately, all the limited-edition merch flew off the racks. Guests donned their best retirement ensembles and were ready for a weekend of senior-inspired recreation.
For the sports fans, guests played tennis, golf enthusiasts signed up for a nine-hole course, hit some balls at the driving range or played on the putting green. Other guests participated in croquet and bocce on the lawn and the most popular activity throughout the weekend was pickleball. On the pickleball courts, a “Dink & Drink” competition hosted by TikToker Joey Zauzig attracted many to play. Everyone brought out their fierce pickleball skills and strong social interactions and friendships were quickly built amongst the guests.
For the retirees looking for a major workout, a full-body aerobics class was offered. Guests jived in rhythmic movements and immediately got their heart rate pumping while wearing Taco Bell sweatbands and wristbands. Lastly, a stroll around the expansive grounds of the La Valle Coastal Club was organized and led by influencer Terri Joe.
The arts and crafts aficionados signed up for still-life painting on the terrace, created their personalized charm bracelets or took a class to learn how to crochet a mini taco. For those who were mainly interested in relaxing and unwinding, a meditative sound bath experience was held where participants were given a soothing avocado face mask and a delightful lemon-scented sugar scrub while they took a nap on yoga mats as the sun was setting. Other calming activities included putting together puzzles, playing board games, or lounging on the comfortable lawn couches facing the marvelous views of La Valle Coastal Club’s lush landscape.
In addition to the activities, The Cantinas provided activations and photo ops for guests to snap pictures and to post on their social media. Many loved taking selfies against a wall covered with Big Mouth Billy Bass fish animatronics that sang a quirky Taco Bell jingle. Another huge hit for photos was a wall covered with 252 mini Taco Bell sauce packets. Major praise to the person who thought of this genius idea because a backdrop containing the four different colored sauce packets (Fire, Hot, Mild, and Diablo) makes the most unique and amusing pic perfect for Instagram.
Attendees also had the opportunity to share their favorite Taco Bell memories at the confessional station where rotary phones were set up. Later on, the stories were shared amongst the guests during the Brisk “spilling the tea” time. “I bought a house in Florida because it was only a few miles away from five different Taco Bell locations,” admitted one proud guest.
One of the main attractions of The Cantinas was the endless Taco Bell food. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, guests gladly ate nothing but Taco Bell. The Cantinas getaway began with a full nacho bar with all the toppings (yes, they served the addicting gooey nacho cheese sauce!) that evolved into an all-you-can-eat buffet that featured some throwback menu items such as the yummy Beef Supreme Gordita and the enjoyable 7-Layer Burrito.
Guests also raved about the rare Taco Bell x Mountain Dew Baja Blast Twists that were served. Mini bags of these sweet and tart dessert snacks were devoured and so too were the Strawberry flavor Twists. Other appetizing foods that were served included the Cantina Soft Taco with Chicken, Beefy 5 Layer Burrito, Cantina Grilled Cheese Crispy Taco, Cantina Chicken Burrito, and the Cantina Chicken Bowl. During breakfast, the Cheesy Toasted Breakfast Burrito with Sausage and the Cinnabon Delights were offered. “I have died and gone to Taco Bell heaven. I could cry right now because I’m so happy,” raved one guest when he saw the spread of food for the first time. “I can’t believe I get to eat this all weekend!”
Each day concluded with fun, but competitive rounds of Taco Bell trivia and Bingo. On Saturday evening, the beloved TikTok creators, Retirement House, hosted a highly entertaining Bingo session where six guests won a $500 Taco Bell gift card—imagine all the Taco Bell food you can eat! Other highly coveted prizes included vintage merch, limited-edition Taco Bell memorabilia, and pickleball sets. During a round of Bingo on Sunday night, guests were suddenly whisked away to the outdoor patio to witness a surprise marriage proposal between two guests from Los Angeles. The bride-to-be received a flower bouquet that included Taco Bell sauce packets. The proposal ended with The Cantinas crowd cheering and toasting the newly engaged couple with a glass of Mountain Dew Baja Blast.
Taco Bell’s The Cantinas not only was an innovative retiree-inspired getaway, but most importantly, it was an inclusive weekend. Strangers from different backgrounds quickly became friends and bonded over their true love for Taco Bell. “Honestly, everyone has been really nice here. It’s like a shared nerdom of Taco Bell fans all together,” said Jacob Reppart from Nashville, Tennessee. “I’m amongst my people. There’s no shame or being weird about it. Everything is communal, and everyone here is having a good time together, so I think that’s pretty neat.”
All photos courtesy of Taco Bell.