Touchless Taco Bell could be the future of drive-thrus

Late-night munchies will be a little easier to satisfy for mobile customers at Taco Bell's new touchless drive-thru restaurant coming to Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.

Why it matters: When you're hungry, you want your food NOW.

Flashback: Axios' crack local reporters in Minneapolis-St. Paul already flagged plans for this prototype fast-food joint back in February, pointing out its odd resemblance to a bank branch.

Details: The "Taco Bell Defy" restaurant opened on Tuesday.

• There are four drive-thru lanes, three of which are dedicated to mobile or delivery orders.
• The fourth lane is a traditional drive-thru, where you place your order at a kiosk and drive ahead for pickup.
• Mobile order customers scan a QR code they received when they placed their order, then pull forward to receive their food.
• Food is delivered from the elevated kitchen above via a proprietary lift system similar to the pneumatic tubes used by those bank branches.
• The entire pickup process is contactless, although two-way audio and video technology lets customers interact directly with Taco Bell employees in real time.